The works of Nicholas Machiavel ..

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HARVARD
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T H E

^ W OR K S

O F

NICHOLAS MACHIAVEL,

Secretary of State to the Republic of Florence,
Tranflated from the Originals;

ILLUSTRATED WITH

NOTES, ANNOTATIONS, DISSERTATIONS,

And fcveral New Plans oo the A RT of W A R,

By ELLIS FARNEWORTH, M. A.

Late. Vicar of Rofthern in Chb^hiri,

Tranflator of the Life of I* O P E S I X T U S V. and
DAVILL A's Htfto/y of the Civil Wars of France.

THE SECOND EDITION, CORRECTEI)-

JN FOUR VOLUMES.

V O L. I.

>' ' '■ ,s-''' ; ' ^^^^' :'"-[ - ' ' '^'' ' ' ' ^

h O N D O N,
Wanted for T. Davies, RoflTel- Street, Covent-Garden ; J. Dodjley,
PaU-Mall } J. RoBsoN, New Bond-Street ; G. Robinson, Parer»
^fter-Row5 T. Bicket, T. Cadell, and T. Evans, Strand.

MDCCLXXV.

i ^ --^

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SOME

AC COUNT

O F T H E

LIFE of NICHOLAS MACHIAVEL.

THOUGH writers in general afford
but very fcanty materials to the Bio**
grapher, yet it might have reafonably been
expedted^ that Machiavel would have
proved an exception to this obfcrvation ; for,
exclufive of his adiVe fpirit and the perpetual
agitations his country laboured under at that
period, he was frequently employed in pub-
lic charadtersy and confequently became, in
fome degree connefted with the hiftory of
thofe times «

His fame alfo as a writer of extraordi-
nary abilities, which was never called in

A3 queftion

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vi ,ACCpUNT OF THE LÌFE

queftion till feveral years after his deatfe^
might have induced fome perfon of the fuc-
cecding generation to colledl the memoirs of
his life, a circaniftahce that has fallen to the
lot of many authors of inferior genius. But
cither thct fconfufions of tht tiriies, and the
little attention paid to literary merit, or the
calumnies which fome years after his deaih
were thrown upon his charader and writings
by feveral religious Orders, have deprived
him of this honour. Even his cotempo-
rary Paulus Jovius, that profefled colletìor
of anecdotes, has given himfelf no trou-
ble on this^ fubjed, and records little more
than the falfehoods and invedives of the Eg*
clefiaftics.

Niccolo Machiavelli, the fon of Bernardo,
and Bartolooiea the daughter of Stefano
Nelli, was born at Florence the 3d of May,
1469 ; both his patients were defcended from
noble families, who had filled v^rith dignity
the firft offices in the ftate; and as his fa-
ther followed the profeffion of the law, it

' is

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O iF M A C H I À V E L. vS

is probable that he intended his fon for the
fame employment. But as young minds are
frequently captivated with the fplcndor of a
nlilitary life, arid as the profeffion of arms
at that period was attended with great ho-
nours and eniolumerits, princes becoming fre-
quently tribfltary to genéjals and pàrtizafls,
it i^ foniewhat mòre than probable that he
fpent his earlier years in the field» where
he acquired that profound knowledge in the
art of wari which he has difplayed in his
very ingenious trcatife ori that fubjed. We
may alfo conjcdure that his poems and plays
were fome of his firft produftions ; and alfo
the Marriage of Belphegor, which, in point
of ftyle, humour, and invention, is efteemed
at Icaft equal to any of the novels of Boc-
cace, and is a proof of his powers in this
fpeciA of writing. His comedies, are very
elegant, the language pure, and the dialogue
fpirited; but the many indecencies they
contain, is a great abatement of their merit ?
they were, however, frequently exhibited,

A 4 ^^d

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viii ACeoUNT OF TitE LIFE

and even at Rame by the.f>artlf:irfafr feom-
mand of the pope, which is a ftròng proof
of the corrapt talee of the age. It is vecy
probabfe that the liberty our auihor took
with the Ecclefiaftics in his phy called
II Froth ^2L% in a ^reat meaftfre the occa-
iion of that vimlcnt perfecution his works
fell under fcreral years after his deceafe, and
which terminated in the condemnation of his
Prince ini ^gz.

His poetical performances are hafty incor-^
reft compofitions> hut interiperfcd with
many ftrokes of genius.

The difTenfiofls which the réplublic of
Florence at this time laboured under^ ren-^.
dered it no difficult matter for a perfoh of
Machiavel's parts and aftive fpirit to adl?ancc
himfelf in^the ftate s accordingly w.c find
him, in 1*502, employed in an embafly to
duke Vaventine ; and it. is a ftrong proof of
his gtcat penetration and abilities, that he
'^ * con-

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OF M A C H I A y E L. ix

conduifted his negociations both to. the ap-
probation of the fadieus Florentines, and alfp
that of Gsefar Borgia, the moft bafe and in-
fidious man of that age. Our author has
been cenfured for having an intimate con-
nexion with this prince, and for being a
friend to his principles and defigns j but his
letters, during this employ, fufficiently clear
hi« charadier from thefe infinuatioris, and
prove him to have been fuperior even to the
artifices of Borgia.

In 1503 he was Tent in a public charac-
ter to the court of Rome, in which he con-»
duded himfelf with great addrefs, and his
bjetì are looked upon as fine
c bufinefs. In this year he
y to the council of ftatc, and
iftruftions toTebalducci Ma-
fary of the Florentine troops
I Pifa.

went ambaflador to the court

»
In

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X ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE

In 1505 he was fcnt by the republic to fo-^
licit Gianpaolo Baglioni to take upon him
ihe èpmmand oJf their troops which had
bèetì defeated by the Pifaris in the preceding
campaign*

ik I |ò6 the republic fent him ariibafiTador
to Rome, and he attended Julius the Second,;
in his expedition agalnft, Perugia and Bc^
logna.

• In the years 15 10 and 151 1 we find him
in the office of fecretary of ftate, in which
he acquits himfelf with great elegance and
precifion 5 and his letters^ during this employ-
ment, ihew his difpofition in a very different
point of view from that which is colleGed
from his political writings j for he here ap-
pears to be a perfon of the utmoft candour,
moderation, and integrity of hearts

From the above period to his death he
was probably out of favour with the reign-
ing fa(!tion in the fiate ; and, retiring from

public

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OF MACHIAVEL. xi

public life, employed himfelf in writing the
Hiftory of Florence, the Prince, and the Po-
litical DIflertations on the Firfl Decad of
Livy, which remain lafting monuments of his
abilities.

In the Hiftory of Florence, his violent an*
tipathy to a monarchical government is fup-
pofed to have induced him fometimes to
fwerve from truth; and thofe diabolical
maxims which have been fo frequently and
fo juftly cenfured in his Prince, undoubtedly
had their' origin from the fame powerful
principle, and ought to be.confidered rather
as an exaggerated portrait of the princes of
that age, and as an incitement to his coan«
trymen to be zealous in the defence of their
liberty, than as a fyftem of policy for the in-
ftrudlion of future princes.

His Political Difcourfcs are the moft cor-
rea and elegant of his works ; and though
they contain fome exceptionable paflages, yet

they

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xU ACCOUNT, &c.

they abound with deep rcfearches and mod
excellent inftrudlions.

Though our author was one of the fir(Ì
perfons of the age both in literary and poli-
tical acquirements; and though he was fre-
quently employed in confidèrable depart-
ments ill the (late, yet he neither met with
the countenance and fupport of the great, nor
received any confìderable reward for his fer-
▼ices> of which he very ''pathetically com-
plains in one of his dedications. He died
in very low circumftances, July 22, 1527,
in the 58th year of his age.

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THE

translator's preface.

THE generality of Readers, cfpecially
thofc of a volatile turn, arc apt to over-
look Prefaces, as nothing more than lumber
and rubbifh ; or at beft, but as Offices and
Out-houfes to the main Fabrick : and per»
jbaps, if any fhould by chance caft their eyes
over this, they may fee no great reafon to al-
ter their opinion. There arefome other pre-
fatory Difcourfes, however, at the head of the
feveral parts of this work, colleóted and tranf-
lated from different writer^ and languages»
which are not only very curious and intereft-
ing, but abfblutely neceflary to be read by
thofe that would have a clear comprehenfion
of tlie enfuing Treatifes ; and as fuch, the
Editor begs leave to recommend them to
pcrufal of every one defirous to be tho-
roughly acquainted with the fcope and te-
nour of Machiavel's writings. A fliort Pre-
amble, thereforef and that chiefly relative to
the execution of this, and fome other Englifh
verfions of his Works, may fufficeat prefent.
In thè year 1588, his (even Books of the
Art of War vitxtfet forth in Englijh (as the
Tranflator call^ it) by one Peter Withorne,
or Whitehorne, who flyles himfelf a Student
at Gray's Inn: a famplc of which performance
is prefixed to the beginning of thofe Dialogues
in the fourth Volume of this Tranilation ;

and

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xiv TR Al^SLATpI^'s PREFACE.
an4 therefore, it is not ncceflary to fay any
more of it in this place, than that there is noft
fo much as one Note throughout the whole,
nor any Plan that is intelligible ; and that the
iapguage is Ìk> pbfojete, that nobody can now
form any judgment whether it was well oir
ill jtranflated, after making aU r^ajfonable al-
lowances for the Idiom of the times.

The next piece that is neceflary to be men*
tioned here, is a TranJIation of the Political
Difcourfes upon Livy, by E. Dacres, printed at

^ London^ in the year 1636 ; in which there is
here and there à Note, though feldom moich

^to the purpofe : the moft pertinent of thein
are inferted in this verfion, and fet down in
their refpettive places to the Author's account*
But as there was an interval of no more thah
forty-eight years betwixt the publication of
this piece, and the other juft now mentioned,
there feems to have been but little improve-
ment made in our language, during that pe-t
riod ; toTay nothing of its other <iefc<5ls,' _
For the fame reafon, much more cannot
be faid in this refpeft, (though fomething in-
deed) in behalf of an Englifli Tranflation of
all Machiavel's profe writings, firft published
at London, in the year 1675^ which was
afterwards reprinted in 1680, and again in
1694, without theleaft alteration or amend-
ment (though full of errors and other faults)
and without any body's name to it: At the
conclufioii of it> there is a Letter addreffcd to

Zanobi

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TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE. xv

»v • • •

j^znóbì Buondelmonte» faid to be written by
Machiavel himfelf» in vindication of his writ-
ings and principles ; which is a moil bitter
inventive againft the Clergy, and at the fame
time» a bold ftroke at Monarchy : but as it is
not to be met with» either in any Italian £di«
tion of his works» or foreign tranilation of
them^i and fecms not only to be of more mo-
dern date» but calculated by fome atrabilair
writer, to ferve certain particular purpofesin
the laft century, one may juftly be allowed, I
think, to rejeft it. Upon which account» it
is omitted in this verfion : for in a Perfornv-
ance, intituled» A Tranjation of MachiaveFs
Works^ it muft have been a (hamelefs thing
to tnfert a Piece as tranilated from Machiavel»
))y aperfon who never faw theOriginai himfelf,
nor never heard of any other man that did.

But to fpeak a little more particularly of
the Tranflation of all Machiavel's profc
works» jufl: now faid to be firft publifbedat
JLrondon in the year 1675. The language in
general, is poor and jejune» full of vulgarifms,
ijuaint fayings» and what the Italians call //
modo baffo, or low-life expreffion. But that
is not the worft of it : for the meaning of the
Author is very often grofsly miftaken; of
which the Reader may take the following in-
ftances in theHiftory of Florence» out of num-
Jjeirlefs others in every part of the work. In
the ffecond book of that Hiftory» the Author
fays» ** I Fiorentini dopo quefta rotta Sforza-
rono le loro torri ali intorno» et il Re Robert

Mando

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xvi TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE.
Mando per loro Capitano il Conte di Andria,
detto il Conte Novello ; per ì portamenti del
quale, overo perche fia naturale a i Fiorentini
che ogni fiato rtncre/cayèc ogni accidente divida,
la Citta, non ottante la guerra haveva con Hu-
guccione, in amici & nemici del Re fi divife :'*
which the old EngliQi Tranflator has crrone-
oufly rendered in this mariner. *^ After this
difaftcr, the Florentines fortified at home as
much as they could, and King Robert fent them
a new General^ called Count di Andrea, v\^ith
the Title of Count Novello. By his deport*
ment (or rather by the genius of the Florcn*
tines, whofe property it is to tncreafe upon
every fettlement» and to fall afterwards into
fadlions upon every accident) notwithftanding
their prefent war with Uguccione, they divided
again, and fome were for King Robert, and
fome againft him." But furely it might have
been more properly thus tranflated. ** After
this overthrow, the Florentines began to for-
tify all the towns and cafiles round about
them, and applied to King Robert for another
General : upon which he fent them the Count
di Andria, commonly called Count Novello j
whofe behaviour, added to the impatient tem-
per of the Florentines (which x%Jòon tired of
any form of government, and ready to fall
into factions upon every accident) occafioned
the City to divide again, notwithftanding the
war they were engaged in with Huguccione :
fome declared for King Robert, and fome a-
gainft him/'

Again,

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TRANSLATOR'S BREFACE. xvii
Again, in the fourth Book, Machiavel fayS|
** A chi ricorreranno eglino ora per aiuto ? A
Papa Martino, ftato a contemplazione di Brac-
cio ftraziato da loro ?" ^* To whom (fays the
old Tranflator) will they now addrefs- for fup-
plies ? To Pope Martin ? Braccio can be witnejs
how they ufedhim before." Which (hould have
been rendered in this manner, or fomething
like it : ** To whom will they now have re-
coijrfe for affiftance ? To Pope Martin, whom
they have fo vilely abufed, only to gratify
Braccio da Montone ?'* A contemplazione being
an Italian phrafe, which fignifiesyir tfieplea- .
Jure 9 gratification y or fatisfaSiion of any one 'y on
account of y or in confideration offuch a per/on
or thing.

The laft inftance I (hall quote, is, from the

"fcventh Book of the fame Hiftory, where the

following paflage occurs. ** Carlo Vifcontc,

perche s* era pofto piu propinquo alla porta,

SfC eiTendogli il Duca pafTato avanti, quando da

i Compagni fu aflalito, non lo potette ferire

d'avanti 5 ma con duoi colpi la Schiena & la

Ipalla gli trafiflc :'' which is thus tranflated.

* ** Carlo Vifconte b«ing placed nearer the

door, the duke was paft him before he was af-

faulted, and therefore he could not ftrike him

" before be was deadi however ^ hemujl do his part,

and with a Schine gave him two deep wounds

upon his flioulder.' ■ Now, what in the name

of wonder is a Schine ? one would be apt to

think it was fome dreadful murdering wea*-

Vol. I. a pon

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xviii TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE.
pon like a Butcher's Cleaver, or ibmething of
that kind. Tremble not, gentle Reader, it is
no fuch matter. Indeed, I believe it is nothing
at all : fpr the word Schine is not to be found
in any Ditìionary. The meaning is plainly
this ; *^ Carlo Vifconte, who flood nearer the
door, and by whom the Duke had pafled be-
fore he was attacked by his accomplices, not
having an opportunity of ftriking him in the
forepart of his hody^ gave him a ftab in the baek^
and another in the fhoulder." Miftakes and
unwarrantable liberties of this fort, are to be
met with in almoft every page : fo that it
jvould be not only an endlefs but unneceffary
tafkto colledt themi as any Reader muft be
pretty well fatisTied already with thefe fpc-
cimens.

In the prcfentTranflation, the Editor may
truly fay, that no pains have been fpared to
make it acceptable to the Public : for which
reafon, be is not altogether without hope it
will be looked upon with candour. Theftylc
of the Author, indeed, (notwithftanding the
encomiums which have been bcftowed upon
Jiim in that refped by fome writers) is gene-
rally (hort, broken, fententious, and difficult
to conne<a in common periods : his tranfiiions
are fudden ^ his meaning often deep, abftrufe,
and intricate ; his argumentation clofe and
fevere. But great care has been taken to elu-
cidate his meaning, to explain dark and dif-
ficult paiTages, to connect his periods, and to

give

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TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE. nix
^iV€ his arguments their foil fcope by the ad-
dition of NoteS) Difiertations» and Plans,
where they feemed neceflary ; as well as of
ieveral other pieces trtnflated from different
languages, and never before publiihed in the
Engli(h tongue ; of which fome mention has
been already made : and if the Tranflator has
now and then indulged himfelf in a moderate
tind reafonable ufe of circumlocution, it is
hoped it will be excufed ; fince it would
otherwife have been impoffible to do the au-
thor juftice.

As to the further merit, or demerit of the
Author^ little needs to be added here : the
Reader will find what has been faid both for
and againft his Writings, fairly and impartial-
ly laid before him elfc where, and is left to judge
for himfelf. Nothing has been either pal*
liated or aggravated : it is true, where his
Principles are liable to exceptioh (as in fome
places they certainly either are, or at leaft feem
to^be fo), they have been combatted^r^? viri/t\
and an antidote attempted for the poifon : in
others, where he is blamed, though not juftly
blameable, his Charader has been vindicated.
Much cenfure, indeed, and great applaufe,
have been, and flill are, beftowed upon him ;
which (how much foever they may tend to
influence the living) can have no eflfed upon
one who has now been dead above two Cen^
turies, apd far out oi theuncertain found oihoth
trumpets. His Tranflator, who is ftill within •

a z diftance

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XX TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE.

diflance» and fubjeiS: to hunian feelings^ does
not pretend to be indifferent to either : and
though he is fenfible howilender a title he has
to one, he would willinglyi if pofQble^ efcape
the other.

1762,

MACHI.

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M AC H I A V E L*s

DEDICATORY EPISTLE

T 0

JPOPE CLEMENT VII.*

MotY IpATHElty

AS your Holincrs was pleafcd to lay your
commands upoh me^ to write a Hiflory
of Florence, long before yout Exaltation to
the Pontificate^ I accordingly applied myfélf

♦ This Pontif, yifhote Name was Julio de* Medicit was
fen to Juliano, Ulled at Florence, by the Pazzi, in 1478* Sa
Book Vili, if this Htftory. He was à Knight of Rhodes,
iafterwards made Cardinal by his Unble, Leo X. and fuc*
ceeded Adrian VI. in 1523. His Pontificate was diftin-
£ui(hed by feveral confiderable Events. All Germany was
divided about the new Dottrine preached by Martin Lu«
Hats ; and Clement» dreading the power of Charles V. hay-
ing entered into a league with the French and Venetians^
inote in very haughty terms to that Emperor, who anfwered
liim in the fame ftyle. But the Colonni, who were of the
Imperial party, rifingagainft the Pope, cited his Holinefs to
appear before a general Council, which Charles intended to
«all at Spire, and forced him to retire into the Caftle of St.
Aageloi in 1526. The next year»Charle# of Bourbon^ the £m<p

a 3 t«

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xxii MACHIAVEL^s

to it with the utmoft care and attention^^
and with all the abilities which Natura
and Experience have a£Sorded me» that I
;night fhew my readinefs to obey you ia
every thing. But after I had brought k
down to the time when the death of the
illuftrious Lorenzo de' Medici gave a new
turn to the aiFairs of Italy, and found the
Events which afterwards happened, grew
fo interefting and important, that they ^e^

peror's General, took and plundered Rome, and obliged the
Pope to pay 400,000 Ducats for his ranfom ; tp raife whkh^
all the veflels of gold and filver that belonged to die Churches
were melted down and coined, and the yacant C;iirdinal'6
Hats fold by public Au£lion. Befides other conceffions»
it was likewife agreed, that hia Holmefe^ and thirteen Car<^.
dlnals, fliould remain prifoners in the Caflle, yfh^rc thef
-were to be confined till the money was paid, and after-
wards go to Kaples, or Gaieta, till the ' Emperor's further
pleafure was known. In the year 1529, he made a peace
with that Empefor, by a marriage betwixt Alexander de'
Medici, created Duke of Tufcany, and Margaret, Charles's,
natural daughter ; which alliance was afterwards confirmed
by the marriage of Catherine de' Medici to Henry IL Kinj^
of France. During thefe trand^oas, Henry VIIL of
England, divorced his Wife, Catharine of Auftfia, and
was excommunicated by Clement for fo doisig: upon
which, he declared himfelf Heàd^ ibi Cbitrih in bis mjm
ibmittionSf and promoted the Reformation, which he bad^
till then, oppofed. Platina^ mitinued by. Sir Paul RkauU
It was faid of this Pope, wbilft he was in prifon. Papa
non potejl errare^ Though Machiavelwas much efleemed
by him, he at laft incurred his heavy difpleafure, on a fufpi-
cion of being engaged with the Soderini in a confpiracy
a^inft him J concerning whkb, (he Reader will meet w^tk
fome other anecdotes In the courfe of this work.

6 ferved

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DEDICATORY EPISTLE. xxiii
fcrvcd to be related in a higher flyle, and
more fpiritcd manner, I refolved to pre-
fent what I* had already digefted, in one
Volume, at your Holinefs's feet ; that fo
you might have a tafte at leaft of the fruit
which you yourfclf planted, and an earnefl
of my endeavours to bring it to maturity.

In the perufal of it, your Holincfs will
fee to what havock and diftradions our
Country was expofed for many ages after the
declcnfion of the Roman Empire in the
Weft; how often it varied its form of go-
vernncient; and to how many different People
and Princes it became fubjcifl. You will
fee how. the Popes, your Predeceflbrs, the
Venetians, the Sovereigns of Naples, and
the Dukes of Milan, by turns came to bear
the chief rule in this Province. You will
fee your native City, after it had fhaken off
the yoke of ythc Emperors, labouring under
continual difcords and civil diffenfions, till
the government of it happily fell into the
hands of your family.

But as your Holinefs (equally defpifing
flattery, and cfteeming juft praife) Ari&ly
enjoined me to avoid all kind of Adulation,
when at any time I (hould have occafion to
mention the names of your Anceftors, I
am afraid I fhall feem to have tranfgreffed
that command, when I extol the virtue and
liberality of Giovanni, the prudence of Co-
lìmo, the affability of Pietro, the magnifi-

a 4 cencc

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XXIV MACHIAVEL's

cence and wifdom of Lorenzo de' Medicf*
For which, and all other pafTagcs that may
^appear in arty wife fulfoin onofFenfive, ia
the courfe of this work, I mod huijibly
intreat your Holinefs to admit my Apology,
when I fay, that it was not poffible to avoid
it. For as I found all the Memoirs of thofc
times full of their merit and praifes, I (hould
juftly be accufed either of deviating frona
truth, if I reprefented them in any other
light, or of extreme envy if I pafled them,
over in filence. And if there was any pri^
vate or ambitious view concealed "under
their glorious endeavours to ferve their Coun-
try, as fome have not fcrupled to hint, I
do not think myfelf at liberty to fay fo;
as that has not appeared to me. Indeed,
it may eafily be perceived, that in all other
parts of this Hiftory, I have never endea-
voured to throw a veil of Honefty over
a foul deed, nor to calumniate any one
that was wortby of praife, by meanly in-
finuating that it was done to ferve fome
vile purpofe. How little I have been guilty
of flattering any one, will more particular-
ly appear in the fpeeches and harangues to
the public, and in my private reflexions
and obfervations ; which are always deli^-
vered without reftraint or referve, and in a
manner confident with the anions, charac-
ter, and temper of the perfon that fpeaks^
or is fpoken of: and I have at th^ fame
^ time

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DEDICATORY EPISTLE, xxv

time ftudioufly endeavoured to avoid all
odious names of didindion and party dif-
ference, as» unbecoming the dignity of Hif-
tory, and of very fmall account in the fup-
port of truth.

No one certainly, therefore, who reads
this Biftory with candour, will upbraid me
9S a Sycophant and Time-ferver ; efpecially
when he finds that I have made but little
mention of your Father: for, indeed, he was
fnatched away from us at To immature an
age, and when his Reputation was but juft
beginning to fpread itfelf amongft mankind^
that I might otherwife have been thought
too partial to his Virtues. Neverthelefs,
if he had had nothing elfe to boaft of, the
Glory alone of having given your Holinefs
to the world, is fufficicnt to balance all the
fplcndid adions of his Anceftors, and will add
many more ages of Fame to his memory, thaa
the malevolence of his Deftiny fo envioufly
cut off years from his Life.

I have endeavoured. Holy Father, as much
as I could (without doing violence to truth),
to fay nothing that might offend any one f
and yet perhaps I have pleafed no one. And,
indeed, I (hall not be at all furprifed, if that
fhbuld be the cafe : fince it is almoft impof-
fible for a man to write a Hiftory of his own
times, without giving offence to many. How-
ever, I come boldly into the Field : for as I
have been honoured with your Countenance,

- . , and

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XXVI MACHIAVE L% &cc.

and preferred by your Bounty, I am not with-
out hope» that I fliall likewife find fhelterqn*
der the fahftion of your favourable opinion
and great wifdom. In this confidence I (hall
dertaking with the fame fpirit
It I have proceeded thus far, if
continue, and your Holinefs
to fupport me with your pro-

Anv E R-

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Advertisement to the READER,

Coacerning the Hiftory of Florence.
From the French Tranflation, publiihed at die Hagucy 1743 *••

AS tkc bare title of The Htftory rf Florence
may appear a little dry at firft fight»
to thofe that are not acquainted with its me*
rit, it feems neceflary in fome meafure to pre-
miie» that the interefts and concerns of that
Republic were fo intimately conneded and
interwoven with thofe of tlic reft of Italy, that
it was impoffible to fpeak of one, without
frequent mention of the other. For here we
ihall find many things that relate to the Popes,
the Republic of Venice, the Dutchy of Milan,
and feveral other confiderable States ; which
altogether make almoft a complete Hiftory
of Italy, during a period that has not had
much light thrown upon it, though very fer-
tile in remarkable events.

With regard to Florence alone, the Reader
would have no occafion to complain of being
«either improved nor entertained by the Hif-

* There had been feveral Editions of this French TranHa-
tion before. The Tranflator's name was Tetard» a French
Refugee and Phyfician at the Hague. He was a native of
filois, and of the Family of Monfieur Tetard, a Minifter
there, who made a good deal of noife in the French Synods,
at the time of the Controverfy concerning Univirfal Grau,
at Sauraur.

tor^

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jtxviil ADVEkTISEMENf

tory of it, if he met with nothing more than à
detail of the condudl by which the Houfe of
Medici, from a mercantile condition, at laft
exalted itfelfto fovereign grandeur and au-
thority.

But there are many other admirable Leflbns
to be learnt from it, which may be of great
ufe to fuch as are called to the government of
Republics* They will fee what means arc
mod expedient to fpreferve the Liberties of a
free State, and to fruftrate the attempts of
"Ambition to fubvert them. They will find
thofe wiles expofed to the world, which de-
figning men have praftifed for that purpofe:
and this may be fo far of ufe as to deter others
from treading in the fame Steps, when they
perceive, that the Mine is already fprung, and
thefe dangerous Artifices now clearly feea
through by every one. They will learn from
the proceedings of the Florentines, to judge
of the views and inclinations by which the
feveral degrees of mankind are aftuated. For
as the government of their City was fucceffive*
ly in the hands of the Grandees, the Nobility,
I the Commoners, and the Plebeians, the pre*
dominant paflxon of every one of thefe dif-
ferent Governors will plainly appear to be the
fame ; and that whatfoever may be the rank òr
condition of thofe that are at the helm of fuch
States, the form of Government will always
degenerate into infupportable Tyranny, if
they are not reftrained by good Laws, and

thofe.

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TO THE READER. xxi«

tbofe Laws maintained in their full force
and vigour.

As the Author aboutìds with political rea*
fonings and reflexions in all his other works,
he has not been fparing of them in this, efpe-
cially in his Harangues ; of which there arc
many that may ferve for excellent models, in
the like circumftanccs, to fuch as arc employ*
ed in the adminiftration of public affairs, and
have fometimes occafion to avail themfelves*
of Eloquence in moving the paflions and af-
fedtions of men. And though this Hiftory
may poflibly be thought too limited and cir-
cumfcribed by particular perfons, the very
name of Machiavel will ftill be fufficient to re-
commend it to the notice and efteem of the
public. Great Matters always ftamp fuch
marks of Genius upon their works, as diftin-
guifh them from all others : and if the Fadts
that are related in this, (hould not be deemed
fufBciently interefting to any other people on
this iide the Alps, yet the judicious manner in
which they are colledted and digefted, by a njan
who fo well knew how both to chufe himfelf,
and point out toothers, what was moft ufeful
and worthy of obfervation in Hiftor)^ will
jilways make it appear in a refpedlable light.

Whofpever then fliall cafefully and atten-
tively read the prefent, which relates the
Tranfaftions of a wife and perfpicacious peo-
ple, may reap as much advantage from it, in
jny opinion, as from almofl any other what-

foever.

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xxac ADVERTISEMENT

ibever. But as to fuch a$ relifli no fort of
Books» except thofe in which a quarter of the
world at leaft» is dragged upon the theatre at
one time» they may better amufe themfelves»
if they pleafe, with reading Gazettes, or A-
bridgements of Chronology» where fuddon Re-
volutions and Downfalls of great Empires»
and fuch aftonifliing Events, occur in every
page : from which they will receive juft as
much fatisfa<£tion and improvement as thoCe
ignorant people who fit wondering at (be
ilrange geflure of puppets upon a flage (as
well they may), wbilft they know nothing of
the fecret fprings that put them in motion.
Our author, indeed, is not altogether fo fen--
teutious as Cornelius Tacitus -, but yet he en^
ters fo deep into matters of fadt» and lays open
the remote caufesof them with fomuch p^r-
fpicuity, that the Reader himfelf will natural-
ly draw proper conclufions. And perhaps
this may be the better way of the two to form
the judgment: for fuch remarks and reflec-
tions as feedi to be the refult of our ovrn rea-
foning, commonly pleafe us more, and make
a deeper impreffion, than thofe that are ob-
truded upon us by others.

There may be foitie, perhaps, who will
think many circumftances in this Hiftory
might have been omitted, as trifling or fuper-
fluous. But every one is nftt capable of dif-*
tingui(hing what are the moft proper' mate-
rials for fuch a compofition ; and thofe that

really

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TO THE READER, xxxi

really are, will pay great deference to the
Judgment of an Author, whofe Abilities and
Underftanding at leaft have never been called
in question/ Others, very likely, who arc
ready to allow him thefe endowments, will
not fo eafily be prevailed upon, to make the
fame conccflions in regard to the goodnefs of
his heart : but as the Reader will find that
Matter njore amply difcufled in the Preface to
his Political Difcourfes, and other detached
Pieces of this Work, let it fuffice at prefent, to
give a remarkable proof of his integrity and
love of truth, in fpcaking fo boldly of the
Pontifs, through the whole courfeof a Hifto-
ry, dedicated to one of the moft powerful of
them, who was of the Houfe of Medici too,
and had been his great Patron and Benefador.
For, not content with relating many of thofe
horrible (ruths with which the Lives of the
Popes abound, he fays, in hisfirft Book, after
a recital pf the miferies and diftratìions his
Country had already groaned under, ** that all
the wars which Foreigners afterwards made
upon Italy, were chiefly owing to the Popes,
and moft of the feveral inundations of Bar-
barians that poured themfelves into it, in a
great meafure occafioned by their incitement
and infligation : which pradices being conti-
nued even to this tinier have fo long kept, and
ftill keep Italy weak and divided.*' This was
but an aukward manner, fome may thinks
0f paying court to fuch a Pontif as Cle-
ment

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^xxii ADVERTISEMENT, &c.
ment VII. and efpccially in fo great a Politi-
cian as Machiavel. Even our common Pa-
rochial Clergy of Paris, would have behaved
with more politene^. They fay finer and
handfomer things in their addrefles to their
Archbifliop, than perhaps they wrould do to
Our Saviour himfelf, and his holy Apoftles, if
ihey were now upon earth.

What I would infer from this Stridure is,
that a Man, who dares to fpeak the whole
truth in fuch delicate circumftances, cannot
be fufpe<fted of either fuppreffing or difguiifing
it upon any other occafion, out of pufillani-
mity or private intereft : fo that how defi.*
cient foever he may appear to fome people as
a Courtier, he certainly deferves great applaufc
from every one, as an Hiftorian who has writ^^
ten with ftrid impartiality and regard to.
truth.

THE

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xxxiv THE AUTHOR'S
nardo d'Arezzo, and Marco Poggio *, two ex-
cellent Hiftorians, had given a particular ac-

nument does bim great honour. It is as follows : *< Since
the death of Leonardo, Hiftory is in mourning, Eloquence is
become mute, the Greek and Latin Mufes are in tears/^ A^-
iillon Iter. Ital, p. 165. UEnfand foggiana^ torn. i. p. ii.

* Some call him BraccioHno, or Brandolino Poggio. He
was fecretary to Pope Eugenius IV. Nicholas V. and. fix
other Pope^, as he himfelf lays. From Rome he was recalled
to Florence, at the ag^ of feventy-four, to fucceed his friend,
Leonardo, in the office of Chancellor to that republic. He had
been vei^ intimately acquainted with him during his life,
and wrote a critique upon his works. His learning was con-
fiderable, but bis genius fatiricali as appears from his invec-
tives againft Laurentius Valla, and his Hiftory of Florence
is not looked upon to be either candid or exaft, Whilft he
attended the Council at Conftance, he and Mabillon (as the
latter fays in his Mujaum Italicunty tom. i. part.i. p. 211.)
difcovered feveral old manufcripts, in the Abbey of St. Gall,
about twenty miles from that City, and particularly a perfedl
one of Qiiintilian's works j the news of which was received
with great pleafure by the Literatiy as they had no complete
copy before. Though it is faid, there is one in the Bodleian
Library above 500 years old, ai^d feveral of very ancient date
in the French King's. In his travels through Germany, he
tranfcribed the books of TuUy Df Finibus^ de Legibu5,w\iic)x
had not beenfeen in Italy before that time. Many other works
hepuhliftied ; and died in the year 1450, at the age of eighty.

It is faid, this Poggio fold a Manufcript of Livy's works,
very fairly tranfcribed with his own hand, for 12O crowds, to
the celebrated Panormita, Secretary to Alphonfo, King of
Naples. Upon which, the Secretary, in a letter to his Ma-
jefty, fays, '* I intreat you, of your great wifdom, to let me
know, whether Poggio or I aft the more prudetit part ; he
in difpofing of Livy, to purchafe a farm near Florence, or I,
who fell an Eftate to buy that author, in his hand-writing.
Your goodnefs and modefty encourage me to a(k you this fa-
miliar queftion." Gallois tratte des Bibliotheques^ p. 154, 155.
This Alphonfo was a lover of Letters, and gave poggio %
large fum of money for a. tranflation of Xenophon's Cyro-
paedia.

count

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i

INTRODUCTION- xxxv

xoupt of all the events which happened be-
fore that period. But afterwards,» having
carefully perufcd their writings, to fee in what
method and order they had proceeded, that fo
I might recommend my own by imitating
them, I found th^y had been very accurate in*
4Jeed in their relation of the wars which the
Florentines had been engaged in with forcigii
Pripges and States : but that they wereeithpr
totally fijent concerning their civil diflenfions
and domeftic anitno^ties, and the confe-
quences of them, or had touched upon them
in fo curfory and fuperficial a manner, that
the Reader was neither in the lead profited
nor entertained by it^ which, 1 fuppofe,*they
did, either becaufe they thought thofe occur-
rences rather trifling and infignificant, than
worthy of being recorded -, or out of fear of
ofiFcndiqg the defcendants of fuch as they (bould
have been oiherwife obliged to nientipn with
diChonour. Both which reafons, if L may be
allowed to fay fo without offence, feem to be
altogether unworthy of fo great men. For
whatfocver is either inflrudive or entertain-
ing in hiftory, principally refults from a clear
and circumflantial narration of Fads. If any
reading can be offerviceto fuch as govern
Republics, it muft be that chiefly which lays
open the firfl caufcs of difcord anddivifions in
them ; by which they may grow wife at tlje
expence of others, and learn to preferve peace
and unanimity at home : if examples drawn

b 2 from

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xxxvi THE AUTHOR'S

frond foreign communities are apt to affe£t
mankind in ibmc degree, furely thofethat are
deduced from tfaeir own, muft naturally be
mwe ufeful and make a deeper imprefiion ^
«and if the Fadions that ever exided in any-
State, were worthy of notic^t is certain, thofe
^at have diftraded Florence are ftill much
more foJ For whereas moft others that we
know any thing of, have only been divided
into two,which have fometime» added ftrength
to, and Sometimes been the deftruétion o^f
them, that City has been fubjeét to many. In
Rome, as every one knows, there arofe a con-
left betwixt the Patricians and Plebeians, after
the expulfionoftheir Kings, which continued
till the utter diffolution of that Republic.
The jQime happened at Athens, and in all the
ctherCommon- wealths that flouridied in thofe
ages* But in Florence, the fir(l diffenfion was
amongft the Nobility; the fecond, betwixt the
Nobility and the Citizens ; and the kft, be-
twixt the Citizens and the People, or Plebei-
ans. In ^11 which, one Fatìion had no fooner
got the uppcrhand, but it divided itfclF info
two : and the confequcnce of thofc divifions
was fuch a ferics of aflaffinations, executions,
banifhment?, and difpcrfion of families, as is^
not to be paralleled in the hiftory of any peo-
ple that has defcended to our times. And,
in my opinion, nothing demonftrates the
ftrength of our City fo clearly as the effedts
ofthofeDivifions,wbich were fufficient to have

fubverted

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INTRODUCTION, xxxvii

fubverted almofl: any other in the world. But
ours^ on the contrary, feems to have gathered
frefh vigour» and to have rifen flronger from
them. For fuch ^^s the Virtue and Patri-
otifm, and fo powerful the good genius of the
Citizens, that fome who efcaptd thofe evils,
contributed more effetìually by their courage
and conftancyto the exaltation of themfelves
and their country, than the malignity of Fac-
tion had done to deprefs th^m, though it had
fo grievouily harraifed the one, and diminifiied
the number of the other. And, indeed, if
fuch a form of Government had fortunately
been eftabli(hed in Florence, as would have
kept the Citizens firmly united together, after
they had (haken off the yoke of the Empire,
I don't know of any Common- wealth, ancient
or modern, that c^ould have been deemed fu-
perior to it, either in Military power, or the
arts of peace. For it is well known, that
"after the Ghibelines were baniflied the City in
fuch numbers that all Tufcany and Lombardy
fwarmed with them, the Guelphs and thofe
that remained in poffeflion of it, were able to
faifc an army of twelve thoufand foot and
twelve hundred heavy-armed horfe out of their
own Citizens for the expedition againft Arez-
zo, which was in the year before the battle of
Campaldino. And afterwards, in the war
with Philip Vifconti Duke of Milan, when
they were obliged to truft to dint of money
and Stipendiary forces (as their own were

then

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xxxviii THE AUTHORS
th^n very much redqced), t^c Florentines
expended three millions and five hundred
thoufand * Florins during the cpurfe of it,
which lafted five years : and it was no fooner
ended, but, diflatisfied with the peace, and de-
fir©us of making a further difplay of their
ilrength, they marched out with an ' army
and laid fiege to Lucca,

I can fee no reafon, therefore, why the
caufes and progrefs of the civil Diflenlions
which happened in this Republic, fhould not
be thought worthy of a minute and particular
relation. And if thofe noble Authors were
deferred from it only by the fear of hurting
the memory of fpme whom they fhould ne-
peflarily be obliged to fpeak of, they widely
miftook the matter, and fhew they were not
fufficiently aware of that latent ambition
which is naturally implanted \n all men, and
their defire of having their own names and
thofe of their Anceftors traqfmitted to Pofte-^
rity. Nor did they recolleét that many, who
never had any opportunity of figi^alizing
themfelves by virtuous and laudable atchieve-
ments, have endeavoured to perpetuate thcit
memory by the moft flagitious and deteftable
means -f*. Neither did they confider that

♦ A coin firft ftarnped by the Florentines. That of Pa-
lermo and Sicily is worth about 2S. 6d, Sterling ; that of
France is. 6d. of Germany 3s. 4d, of Spain 4s. 4d of HoU
land and Poland 28. of Savoy 3d. half-penny; of Gold js.
The lad is moft probably meant here.

f As Eroftratus,who burnt the Temple of Diana at Ephe-
fus, which was reckoned the moft magnificent ftru£lure in

tranfac-

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IN T R O D U C T I O K xxxk

tranfa£tions which carry an iair ot greatnefs
along with them, fuch as thofe of States and
Governments, ftill refled ihore honour than
infamy upon the Adtors, what ends foever
they have had, or in what light foever they
arc reprefented, Thefe confiderations pre-*
vailed upon me to alter my firftPlan, and to
begin my Hiftory from the very foundation
of our City. And fince it is not my inten-
tion to tranfcribe what has been already pub-
liflied by others, I fliall relate fuch things
only as happened within the City to the year
I43i^, taking no further notice of foreign
tranfaétions than what will be abfolutely ne-
ceffarily for a better undèrftanding of what
occurred at home : after which period^ I (hall
give a diflind account both of one and the
other. And that the Reader may have a
clearer and more extenfive profpe<9: both ways
in this Hiftory, before I come to treat of the
affairs of Florence, I will (hew by what means
Italy became fiibjed: to thofe Princes who go-
verned it that time : all which will be in-
cluded in the four firft books. The firft
fball contain a brief recital of the princi-
pal .events that happened in Italy from the
declen(ion of the Roman Empire to the year
1434. The fecond, a general account of af-
fairs from the foundation of Florence to the

the world. . A great author obferves, that, ** the love of
riches and pleafure is not fo predominant amongd mankind,
in general, as the thirft of fame."

war

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xl THE AUTHOR'*, &c.

y(Zt that was commenced againft the Pope»
after the Expulfioa of the Duke of Athens.
^Jic third will conclude with the death of
Ladiflaiis King of Naples : and in the fourth
we (hall arrive at the year 1434* After which
we fliall give a particular narrative of all pro-
ceedings» both within and without the City,
till we come down to our own times.

THE

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t H B

O

HIS TORY

O F

F L O R E N :C E.

,11 ■ ■ I I I III- I I ■ I |- II • • ihi I "> I

È Ó O K K

ARGUMENt.

the RcmM Empire ruined hy inundations of Barba^
rums. The tVeftern Goths the firji invaders of it.
Rome taken andfacked by them under the command of
Marie. The Huns invade Ita^y^ take Aquileia under
the conduit of /itti/a, and advance to Rome ; but re-
tire ut the requeji of the Pope. The fir ft reftdence of
the Roman emperors at Ravenna Odcacer caujes
himfelf to be ftyled King of Rome, and is the firji of
' the Barbarians that thought of fixing in' If a fy. The
. Empire is cantoned out into feveral divifions. Theo^
doric invades Italy ^ kills Odoacer^ calls himfelf King of
RomCy and holds his reftdence at Ravenna. His great
' aSions and death. Belifarius appointed General for
the Emperor Jufiinian. He is recalled and fucceeded
by Narfes^ or Narfetes^ an Eunuch. Longinus changes
the form of government in Italy. The Lombards in-
vade it undo" their King Alhoin, who is afterwards
ajfaffinated by Almachild^ at the inftigation of his own
wife. The Bifhops of Rome begin to extend their au*
ibority. The Eaftern Empire ruined in the time of
the Emperor Heraclius. Charlemagne exempts the
Pop^ from all human JurifdiSlion^ and is chofen Em*
peror of the Weft. The ortginfifof Cardinals. Of
porco being eleSed Pope is aihamtd of his name^ and
changes it \ which cujlom is fgllowed - by fucceeding
Vol. I. B Popes.

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THEHISTORY Book I.

Popes. The original of Pi/a. The fiate of Italy im
thijear 931. Pi>pe Gregory V. is driven out 0/
Romey hut returns thither. He deprives the Rotnams
of the power of chufing their Emperors^ and confet^s \
it upon Six Princes pf Germany^ who are afterwards
called EleAors. Nicholas II. deprives the Romans &f
their right of approving the Popes when ele£l$dy #^4
reduces the ele£iion to the fuffrages of Cardinals onhf^
An Antipope is fet upj whi'cb caufes a fchifm injbe
Church. A quarrel hetwixt the Emperor Henry IVI
and the Pope gives rife to the Guelph and Ghibetine
FaSiions. The original of the Kingdom of Sicily. The
firfi Crufade againft the Saracens promoted by Ut-
ban II. Why fo called. Another Antipope. The pe-
nance enjoined Henry II. King of England^ upon the
complaints ma^ about the murder of Thomas Bichtti
ArchbifiiQp of Canterbury. Thi orders ef St. Damhiic
and St. Fra^ncis ififiituted in the year 1218. The title
of King of Jerufalem transferred to the Kings of Na-
pies. The noufe of Ejh become Z.crds (f Ferrara.
The Guelphs/tde with the Churchy the Ghihelines with
the Emperor^ The firfi menf ion mad^ of Pope's Ne-
phews. Qekfiine V. refigns the foni'^ate to Boni-
face VIII. The Jubilee inftituted by Bmface^ and at
firfi appointed to be cele^r^ated every hundredth year,
element VI. remo^ves with his Court ini$ France in the
year 11^36. The Vifconti^ a groat famiXy ittìsian^
become Princes of thai city by the expu^fioM of the
Torri. The firfi Duke of Mihn. The Dukedom falls
to the Sforzas. The original ^ tbe^ Venetians. Can*
dia ceded to them by the French. Nicolò di Lo*
renzoj under the title of TrihunCy makes bmfelf the
ehief Magifirate of Rome. The Jubilee reduced to
fifty years. Avignon given to the Pope by the §^een
qf Naples. Gregory XI. returns witìsf his Cxmrt^ to
Rome^ after it had r^dedfeventy^one years in France.
Clement VÌI. A^.tipppe. Great guns firfi ufedin^the
war betwixt the Genoefe and the Venetians. Three
Popes at one time. The ^ueen of Naples calls in the
King qf Arragom to her ajjiftamt^-achpts him^ and

makes

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ioolcr. OFFLORENCE. 3

• makes Braccio de Montone her General. The fiate of
Italy at that time. A cbaraSler of the feveral Princes
' and chief Commanders.

THE people who inhabit the Northern parts
that He beyond the Rhine and the Danube^
living in a healthful and prolific climate^
often increafc to fuch a degree, that yaft numbers of
then? are forced to leave their native country, and
go in fearch of new habitations. For when any one
of thofe provinces begins to grow too populous, and
wants to difburthen itfelf, the following method is
òbferved : In the fiift place, it is divided into three
parts, in each òÌ which there is an equal proporr
lion of the Nobility and Commonalty, the rich and
the poor. After this, they caft lots ; and that divU
lion, which the lot falls upon quits the country, and
goes to feek its fortune, leaving the other two more
room and liberty to enjoy their pofleflions at home»
Thefe demigrations proved the deftruftion of the
Roman empire ; to which the emperors themfclves
alfo did not a little contribute. For when they aban-
doned Rome, the ancient feat of their government,
and went to rcfide at Conftantinople, the wcftern
parts of the Empire became weak and defencelefs,
oeing far removed from their infpection, and con-
fequently more liable to be plundered both by their
own fubftitutes and the incurfions of foreign enemies.
And indeed, if the indolence and pufillanimity of
the Princes, the perfidy of their Minifters, the fury,
ftrength, and obftinacy of the Invaders, had been
in any degree lefs than they were, an Empire fo
powerful, and founded in the blood of fo many
brave men, could not well have been fubverted :
fince it was not till after many of thefe inundations
that its ruin was finally accomplifhed.

The firft of thefe Northern nations that invaded
the empire, after the ^ Cimbri (who were fubdued

♦ Thefe people, acccMrdiug to CI u ver, at firlt caaie from the ex-
tremity of the North, anj then pofreffed the whole of that large

B 2 by

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4 THE HISTORY Book t

by Marius a Rotnan Citizen) were, the Vifigoths,
that is, the Weftern Goths, to whom the Emperors,
after feveral battles fought upon the confines of the
empire, at laft affigned the country that extends it-
felf along the banks of the Danube for their habi-
tation ; of which they maintained the pofleffion for
a great number of years. And though they after-
wards often invaded the Roman Provinces at differ-
ent times and upon various occafions, they were as
often repelled by thè power of the emperors. Theo-
dofius, to his great honour, was the laft that de-
feated and entirely reduced them to obedience : af-
ter which, they did not chufc any other. King of
their own to reign over them, as they u fed to do be-
fore, but voluntarily fubmitted to his government,
received his pay, and fought under his banners.
But whc-n that Prince died, and his two fons Arca-
dius and Honorius were left heirs to the crown, tho'
not to the valour and good fortune of their father,

peninfula which extends itfelf into the òerman ocean, formerly
called Cimbria Cherfoncfus, and now? Jutland. And this opinioft
is confirmed by the teftimonies of Velleius Patc^culus, Eutropius,
and Orofius. They left this angle about the year 639 of Rome, or
3940 of the world, either becaule the fea had encroached upcn it,
or that it was not any longer capable of fuftaJning fo vaft a multi»
tude of inhabitants, wbo^ as fome fay, amounted at that time to
above 500,000, befidcs women and children j and joining with the
oiitcaft of feveral other nations, they over-ran all Germany, Iftria,
Sclavonia, the country of the Grifons, and Switzerland : from
whence they fell into Dauphinè, Languedoc, and Provence, - and
laft of all into Italy. The Romans being aftoniftie^ at fuch fwarm^
of Barbarians, fent out their armies againll them, which were often
defeated : but at laft Marius beat them near Aries in the plains of
Camargue, and afterwards gave them a total overtliro\^ betwixt Aix
and St. Maximin. The monuments of which viftory are yet to be
feen upon the fame road, where the Romans ereóted pyramids in
memory of thisdecifive battle, fought in the year of Rome 652,
and 102 years before the Chriftian aera. Some authors fay the
Cimbriar.s firft invented drtims: but that, if it is worth their while,
is left to the difquifitions of the curious. Stpabo fays, thcyftretch-
ed the (kins of animals over their open chariots in time of war, and
beat them with Iticks attlie beginning of the fight. They were a
very fierce and warlike people, large of ftature, and ufed to re-
joice, fays Valerius Maximus, over any of their relations or friends
that fell in battle, and to make great lamentation over thofc that
died of ficknefs ; looking upon the one as a glorious and happy>
AcAth, the other as infamous and diihonourable.

tbc

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Book I. O F F L O R E N C E. 5

theVimcs, like the Empcron^ began to alter for the %
worfe.

Theodofius had appointed three Governors to pre-
fide over the three parts of the empire, Ruffinos
over the Eaft, Sàlico over the Weft, and Gildo over
the South; but, after his death, they all refclvcd'
to drop the title of governors, and aCTume the fove-
reign dominion over thofe province^t themfclvcs.
Gildo and Ruffinus were foon fupprcflcd: but Sti-
lico corxealing his anibition with more artifice, en-
deavoured to infinuate himfelf into the favour and
confidence of the new Emperors, with a dcfign,
however, to perplex and embarrafs their affairs, that
fo he might afterwards the more eafily fucceed in
his attempts. To ftir up the Vifigoths againft them,
he advifcd the Emperors to retrench their former
pay 5 and left that nation ak>ne Ihould not be able
to raife a' rebellion in the empire, he likewife in-
cited the Burgyndians, Franks, Vandals, and Alans,
(Northern people like the others, and already in mo-
tion to feek new habitations) to invade the Roman
provinces.

. The Vifigoths, therefore, feeing their ufual fub-
fidies reduced, determined to redrefs themfelves.
For which purpofe^ they made Alaric their King,
under whofe conduft they invaded the emprirc, and
after many cnterprizes, not only took and facked
R<>n>c itfelf, but over-ran all the reft of Italy. Not'
long after thefe viftorious atchievements Alaric died,
and was fucceedcd by Ataulph, who marrying Pla-
cidia, lifter to the EiTiperors, promifed them, in con-
fcquence of that alliance, to march with an army to
the relief of Gaul and Spain, which provinces were
then much barrafled by the incurfions of the Van-
dals, BurgilndiansV Alans, and Franks. The Van-
dals who had feized upon that part of Spain called
Betica, being now hard prefled and reduced to ex-
tremities by the Vifigoths, were called over by Bo-
niface^ (who at that time governed Africa in the
name of the Emperors) to come and fettle there :1

b 3 for

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6 T H E H I S T O R y Booli*;

for as be was then in open rebellion bimfelf, be piAt
afraid of being called to account and puniihed)^/
it by thofe Princes. The Vandals, therefore» wil-
lingly embarked in this enterpriie, for the reaftAI^*
abovementioned, and under the banners of Gen^fk
their King made a defcent upon the coaft.of Afri<^*.
In the mean time Theodofius, the fon.of AjP^**-
dius, fucceeded to the empire ; but as he gave Ìfi9^
felf little trouble about the affairs pf the Weft, tfcefe*
new intruders began to think of eftabliflxing tlKA*
felves in their acquifitions. Accordingly, the Ym*
dais foon made themfelves mailers of Africa, ^
Alans and Vifigoths of Spain, and the Franks Mod
Burgundians not only over^ran Gaul, but give
names to the places of which they had refpeftivcif
po0effcd themfelves, calling one part of it France,
^d the other Purgundy. The fuccefs of thefe ad-
venturers inviting others to invade the empire, the
Huns felzcd upon Pannonia, a province on this fide
the Danube, and gave it the name of Hungary»
which it retains to this day. And what ftill in*
creafed thefe misfortunes, was, that the Emperor
feeing himfelf attacked in fo many different placesi,
began to treat, firft with the Vandals, and then with
the Franks, in order to lefTen the number of his
enemies, whick very much dimini(hed hi» own
power and authority, and at the fame time added
confiderable ftrength and reputation to the Barba-
rians. Nor was the ifland of Britain, now called
England, exempt from ita ffiare in thefe troubles.
For the Britons beginning, to grow apprehenfive of
the people that had conquered Gaul» and feeing
the Emperor not able to proted; them, called in the
Angli, a German nation, to their afiiftance. The
AngH, accordingly, uq^er VorJtigel^ -their King»)
undertook to defend them, and for feme time be*
baved like faithful allies, but afterwards drove thcat
out of the i(land, ^nd taking pcffifeffion of it them»
felve$ gave it the naa)e of Englandi Being thus ex«
pcUed their ^qo Wr/t and bcCoroc ikfperacc ,by, nc*

r :i^ ceffity.

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look I. O F F L O R E N C E. 7

M^ity, the Britons relalved to invade fowte other ,
fi^igb they had not been^ble to mamtain their own :
Mi with this refolution having pafied the fea, they
0ftffcd themfelves of that part which lies upon the
^UjH of France, and called it Bretagne, or Britany*
^TO Huns iMho, as we faid before, had fei^ed Upon
Pannonia» joining with divers other people, as thd
^ Xepidi, Eruli, 1 oringi, and Oftrogoths, of Eallern
Goths, put thennffelves in motion once more, and went
in queft of freih quarters. But not being able td
force their way into France, which was then bravely
defcaded by the Barbaritos, they penetrated intd
Italy under the condutì: of their King Attila, who
not long before had murdered his brother Bleda ;
by which he rid himfirlf of all partnerfliip in the
government, and became fo rlowerf^l that he re-
duced Andaric King of the^^pidi^ and Vclamif
King of the Oftrogoths, into a forrt of fubje<Stion td
him. And having thus got footing in Italy he in*
veiled * Aquileia $ before which place be continued
two years without moleftation, and during the fiegc
not only laid wafte the whole country round about
it, but totally difperfed the inhabitants, which, as
we fliall relate in its proper place, firft gave rife to
the city of Venice. After he had taken and demo-
liflied Aquileia and many other cities^ he advanced
towards Rome, which be fpared however out of re-
verence to the f Pope, whom he held in fo great
veneration, that at his intcrceffion only he withdrew
out of Italy into Auftria, where he died J. After

• The capital cf Friuli, formerly a city of great cmlnence, but
now very aanch decayed. It is at prefent fubjcÒt to the Houfe of
Auftria, though the Patriarch isappoiiited by the Venetians.

t Leo I. commonly called St. Leo 5 he enjojred the pontificafe
from tlutf year 440 tiH 461.

J Hewas-cadled the Scourgt of God,^Tict there was hardly any nation
in Europe that did not feel the weight of his arms. The peace
which he made with Theodofius the younger >ivas very diflionourable
to that emperor : for he obliged him to advance fix thoufand pound
weight of gold in ready money, and' promife to pay him a thoufand
poufld weight every year for the future. So that the eaftern empire,
notwithiUnding the fpeciouS' name of pensioni which was given to

B 4 his

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8 THEHISTORY Book I.

bis death, Vdamir King of the Oftrogoths, and
fome chiefs of the other nations took up arnis agai»ft
Tenric and Euric the fons of Attila, one of whom
they killed, and drove the other with all the Huns
over the Danube again into their own country : up-
on which the Oftrogoths and Zepidi eftabliftied
themfclves in Pannohia ; and the Eruli and Turingi
continued upon the banks of the Danube.

After Attila had left Italy, Valentinian then Em-
peror of the Weft, refolved to attempt the reftora-^
tion of that empire to its former greatncfs and fplcn-
dor -, and that he might* be enabled to defend it
with more eafe and convenience againfl: the irrup-
tions of the Barbarians, he chofe Ravenna inftead
of Rome for the place of his refidence. Thefe ca*
lamities which the Wcftern empire fuftained, had
often obliged the Emperor who refided at Conftan-
tinople to give the govcrnment of it to other peo-

tbis cxndiion, in fa£l became tribatary to tbe Hans. Maijnbourg»,
Hift.del'Ananifme. Tom. iii. p. 4. The fame author fays» Hift.de St,
Leon. 1. iii. p. ito. that Attila having feen a pifVure at Milan, whicb
rf prefentcd an emperor fitting upon his throne with Scythians in
chains under his feet, ordered it to be removed, and anpther to be
put up in its room, wherein he himrdf was drawn, fittine upon a
throne furrounded with emperors loaded with bags of filver and
gold, which they came to empty at his feet in a very fubmifllyt
manner j intimating by ttìs, that as he had obliged Theodofius fe-
ven or eight years befare to pay him tribute, ne would force tbe
Emperor Valentinian to do the fame» in order to fave his life and
the mifei able remains of the empire. It is faid he dcfigned to have
cftabfifhed his own langunge in the empire upon the ruins of the
Roman. Alcyonius in his Medices Legatus introduces Giovanni
de' Medici fpeaking in the following manner, ** There is preferve4
in our Library a book written ih Greek by an unknown author,
concerning the wars of ihe Goths in Italy. I remember to have
read in it, that King Attila, after his viaories, being refolved to
propagate the Gothic tongue, publiflied an cdi£l to prohibit all pep-
Ions fi-om fpeaking Latin, and fent for teachers out of his own
country to inftruót the Italians in the Gothic language.'* This fort
of ambition feems to have been common to moft conquerors. The
Greck5, Romans, Turks, Moors, Normans, and many other na-
tions attempted it, and fome of them with fucccfs. The French in
tbefe tiaies are extending their language at a great rate, and en-
deavouring by all manner of artifices to make it become general
throughout Europe at leaft. This Prince was either fuffocated by an
eruption of blood from his nofe, as fome fay ; or murdered by his
}^ì4e9 according to pthers^ o^ h^s wedding night.

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■iook I. O F F L i^ R È N C E. 9

^^ as a charge attended with too great trouble and
?nce. Indeed the Romans thertifclves, when
faw they were thus flighted and abandoned,
„ created Emperors to defend them, without
I |»rmiffion to do fo : and Sometimes private per-
mvailing themfclves of their own intereft or
'ty, ufurped the Imperial dignity : as it hap-
pMed lifter the death of Valcnrinian, when Maxi-
fllos, a citizen of Rome, feized upon it, and forced
Iris widow Eudpxa to marry him; who being of
royal extraélion and difdaining the embraces of a
private citizen, in revenge for lb violent an outrage,
fecretly encouraged Genferic, King of the Vandals,
and at that time mailer of Africa, to invade Italy,
by réprefenting how eafy and glorious the conqueft
ot it would be to him ^. That Prince accordingly,
being animated by the hope of fo great an acquifi-
tion; made a fudden defcent upon Italy, and find-
ing Rome deferted, he fackcd it, and continued
there fourteen days. He likcwife took and plun-
dered many other towns, and having glutted both
himfclf and his army with fpoil, returned into A-

♦ Petronius Maximos, Grandfon to Flavius Migntis Qomens*
Fas at £rft a Roman fenator. He had a very beautiful wife, witU
whom Valentinian III. fell in love, and enideavoured, though in
vain, to debauch her. But that Emperor having won all the mo-
ney that Maximus had, and his ring bcfi<1es,*one night at play,rent
the ring as from Maximus himfelf, for his wife to come to the pa-
lace, where he raviihed her. Maximus however diflcrabled his
knowledge of the faiS):, and concealed his refentlnent till he had an
opportunity of revenging hinfelf, ^hich he did not long after, by
caufing the Emperor to be difpatched in the Campus Martins : aftei*
which, he feiaed the eippire, married the Emprefs Eudoxa by force,
created his own fon Caefar, and married him to Eudoxa the Empe-
ror's daughter. But having told the Emprefs one night, that it was
for the love of her that be had killed the Emperor, (be was fo in-
cenfed at it, becaufe (be knew the contrary, that (he fent to intreat
Oenfcric King of the African Vandals to deliver her from the ty-
rant who kept her as his wife by force. Genferic came, according
to her invitation, and Maximus fled from Rome, but was purfuea
and ftoned to death by the people, or killed by a foldier as fome fay.
and afterwards pulled to pieces by the Emprefs and her fervantsana
thrown into the Tiber. But (he herfelf and her daughters were
carried away prifoners by the ^jopcjucror* Pro^op. dc bcU. Vandal.

frica.

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IO THE tìkSTOilY Book L

frica. Upoti bis departure, Maximus bemg now
deady the Romans returned to the city and made
choice of one Avitus, a Roman, for their Emperor^
After this and rt>any other revolutions both withia
Italy and without it, aDd after the death of feveral
Emperors, the empire of Conilantinople fell imq
the hands of Zeno*, and that of Rome, by iotrigvie
and underhand pradices» toOreftes and his fon Au^
guftulus. But whilft they were making prepara-
tions to maintain it by force, they were invaded by
the Eruli and Turingi, who, as we have related,
had repaired the Danube after the. death of Attila,
and fettled themfelves again in their former habita-
tions on the other fide of that river* Thefe nations
having confederated themfelves afrefli, under the
command of Odoacer, for this expedition, left their
. own country to the Longobardi, or Lombards, an-
other northern nation, who took poffeflloD^of it un-
der the conduft of Godoglio their King, and were
the laft that invaded Italy, as fhall be Ihcwn here-
after.

Odoacer having entered Italy, not long after de-
feated and killed Oreftes in a .battle near Pavia ;
but Auguftulus made his efcape* After this vic-
tory, Odoacer changing the title both of the gover-
nor and the government, abolilhcd the name of
Emperor and Empire, caufcd himfelf to be ftyled
King of Rome^ and was the firft chieftain of thofe
nations which then over-ran the world, thatrefolved
. to fix in Italy : for all the reft before him, cither
out of an apprehcnfion that they (liould not be able
to maintain a territory that might fo eafily be fuc-
coured by the Emperor of the Eafl, or for fome
other private reafon, had contented themfelves with
ravaging and plundering ir, and then always retired
to feek fome other country to live in, which they
thought more tenable.

In this manner then, the ancient Roman empire
was cantoned out under the following princes and
people. Zeno refiding at Conftantinople, governed

the

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1fc)ok I. O F F L O R E N C £• it

die whole empire of the £aft : the Oftrogoths were
Mièflèd of ^ Moefia and Pannonia : the Vifigoths,
S0$¥Ì and Alans of Spain and Gafccmy : the Van- '
<Wi; of Africa : the Franks and Burgandians of
Gaul : and the Eruli and Turingi of Italy. The
Kingdom of the Oftrogoths was devolved upon Ve-
lami r's nephew Theodotic, who being in amity with
Zeno» the Eaftern Emperor, wrote to him, " That
his Oftrogoths being fuperior in valour to all other
nations, thought it hard and unjuft to be inferior to
them in extent of territory and command ; and that
it would be impoftile for him to confine them within
the narrow limits of Pannonia : that as he was con-
fequcntly under a neceffity of complying with their
defires, and of fuifering them to take up arms^ in
order to provide themfelves with larger and more
convenient territories, he thought fit to give him
timely notice of it ; that fo he might avert the dan-
ger if he pleafed, by voluntarily aifigning them fome
country, where, by . his favour, they might live
with more comfort and reputation." Zeno there-
fore, partly out of fear, and partly out of a defire
of driving Odoacer out. of Italy, gave Theodoric
free leave to march againft him and wreft it out of
his hands if he was able. This offer he accepted,
and immediately quitting Pannonia, where he left
his allies the Zepidi, be entered Italy, killed Odoa-
cer and his fon, and after his example, not only
called himfelfJCr>rg- ^/i?<?«^ but took up his refi-
dence at Ravenna, for the fame reafons that had be-
fore prevailed upon Valentinian to do fo.

Theodoric w^s a great and excellent Prince both
in the arts of war and peace : in the former he al-
ways came off viftorious, and in the latter, was
continually doing good to the cities and people that
were fubjetì: to him. He ditftributcd his Oftrogoths
through the fevcraj towns, and fet chiefs over them,
to lead them in time of war^ and to adminifter juf-

f Now callid Bofida OJiid SerHa» - ^

tice

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-X

12 THE HISTORY Book 1/

tice in the intervals of peace. He enlarged Ra-
venna, repaired Rome, and reftored all its honours
and privileges, except its military difcipline. He.
kept all the Barbarian Princes, who had cantoned
out the Empire, in due bounds, without the noife or
tumult of .war,^ merely by his own wifdom and au-
thority. He built feveral towns and fortreffes be-
twixt the extremity of the Adriatick and the Alps,
to obftruA any future incurOon of Barbarians into
Italy. If fo many great virtues had not been ful-
lied by fome cruelties, he was guilty of towards the
latter end of his life (amongft which may b^ num-
bered the putting Symmachus and Boetius to deaths
though virtuous and innocent men, out of a fufpi -
cion that they were confpiring to depofe him) his
memory would have been every way unblemiflicd
and worthy of being held in the higheft honour.
By his valour and goodncfs, not only Rome and
Italy, but all the other parts of the Weftern Em-
pire, were freed from the continual dcvaftations to
which they had been fubjcft for fo many years, by
the repeated irruptions of Barbarians, and at the
fame time reduced into good order. Certainly, if
any times were ever to be called wretched in Italy
^r\d the other provinces that were thus over-run,
thty were thofe that intervened betwixt the reigns of
Arcadius and Honorius, and that of Thepdoric :
for if we confider the calamitous confequences that
generally enfue upon a change of Prince or form of
government either in a kingdom or commonwealth,
when effefted, not by external force, but by civil
dificndoias, (in which, experience has fufficiently
Ihewn us that the Icaft alterations have proved fatal
to fuch ftatcs, though exceeding powerful) we may
eafily conceive how much Italy and the reft of the
Roman provinces muft have fuffered in thofe days,
when. they were forced to change, not only their
Princes and form of government, but their laws,
cuftoms, manner of living, religion, language, ha-
bit, and even their v«ty names. To xefleft only

upon

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%)ok L O F F L O R E N C E. ij

$ti any one of chcfe circumftances, is enough to
:e the ftouteft man tremble, much more the fee-
ìMfind enduring them aiL But if they proved the
^^uclion of fpme cities, they likewife occafioned
thtibundation and augmentation of many more.
Id tkfi number of thofe that were- deftroycd, we
aity fickofi Aquileia, Luni, Chiufì, Popolonia»
Fiefoliyiand fome others: amongft thofe that were
Mw boi^, were Venice, Siena, Ferrara, Acquila, and
May liKire» both towns and caflles, which, for the
&ke of bievity, I fhall here omit. Thofe that from
fiaatt^Hmnings became great and refpedable, were
Florence, Genoa, Fifa, Milan, Naples, and Bo-
logna : to all which may be ftdded, the ruin and in-
ftauration of Rome, and feveral other cities, which
were demoliflied and afterwards rebuilt. Thefe de-
vaftations and reiterated incurfions of new people
produced new languages, as appears from thofe now
ufcd in France, Spain,, and Italy, which, being com-
pounded of that of their invaders and the ancient
Roman, are very different from what they were be-
fore- Not only provinces, but rivers, feas, and
men, likewife loft their names : France, Italy, and
Spain, being full of fuch as are altogether unlike
the old ones. To omit many others, we (hall only
inftance the Po, Garda, and Archipelago, in the
^rft cafe : and with regard to the proper names of
men, inftead of C«far, Pompcy, &c. thofe of Pe-
tcri John, Matthew, &c. now took place. But
amongft ail thefe revolutions and changes, that of
Religion was of the greateft confcqucnce : for the
cuftom and prefcripticn pleaded by Paganifm again ft
the Miracles of Chriftianity, produced very great
tumults and diflcnfions amongft men, which yet
would npt have been fo fatal if iheChriftian Church
had continued united. But the Greek and Roman
Churches, and that of Ravenna, being at variance,
and the Hereticks and Catholicks fiercely oppofmg
each other, occafioned infinite confufion and mifery
in the world; as Africa in particular can teftify,

which

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14 THfeHlSTORY Book I.

whioh fufiered mudi more from the Spirit and EfFe£|$
of Arianifm (a doftrinc efpoqfed by the Vandals)
^han from their natural ferocity, or any oppreflive
difpoQtion peculiar to that people. Whilft men
lived cxpò(oi to fuch dreadful perfecutions, the ter-
ror and dcje^Stion of their hearts were legible iit theiif
countenances : for befides the numb^rlefs affli6tions
they otherwife endured, many were deprived of all
wcourfe to the merciea of God, the fureit refuge in
adverfity and diftrefs : for as they were uncertain to
what Being they ought to addrefs themfclvès for
pfocrdion, they mifcrably died without any hope or
comfort.

Theodoric therefore deferved no fmall return of
thanks, as he was the firft that gave them any ref-
pite from fo great Evils, and reftored Italy to fuch
a degree of Grandeur, during the- thirty-eight ^'cars
which he reigned there, that hardly any thing was
to be feen of its former defolation. But When he
died, and the government devolved upon Athalric,
the fon of his daughter Amalafontha, its evil def-
tiny being not yet fatiatcd, it foon relapfed into the
fame miferable condition it had been in before^ For
Athalric dying not long after his grandfather, the
kingdom reverted to his mother, who was betrayed,
and put to death by Theodate, a minifter whom fhe
had employed to aflift her in the government of the
ftate. After which, he feized upon the kingdom
himfelf, to the infinite difguft of the Oftrogochs •,
a circumftance that encouraged the Emperor Jufti*
nian to attempt the difpoflefling him of Italy. For
which purpofe, he appointed Belifarius his comman-
der in chief for that Expedition» who had already
driven the Vandals out of Africa, and reduced it to
its former obedience to the Empire. That general
accordingly, in the firft place made himfelf matter
of Sicily ; from whence he tranfported his army in-
to Italy, and there recovered Naples and Ronre.
Upon which, the Goths feeing the havock he daily
made amongft them, Jaid hands on their King Theo-
date,

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iDok I. OFFLOREI^CE. 15

^e, and having put him to death, as the amhor
'iri| occafioo of it, they fet up Vitiges in his dead ;
irfA) alter feveral ikirmiflies, was at laft befieged
adl^akeB prifoner in Ravenna by Beiifarius. But
di* litter not having gained a complete vidory, was
iwatttd by Juftinian, and fucceeded in his command
by Johannes and Vitalis, two generals (o much in*
. foior to him both in valour and conduft, that ihe
GmIis -recovered their fpirits and made choice of
Hd&vadk», at that time governor of Verona, to
mie ^«v«r them. That Prince being kiMed foon af-
Mr,; Ac reins of government fell into the hands of
Totila, who routed the Emperor's forces, regained
Tufcany, and dripped the Imperial generals of al-
moft every fiate that Bdifarius had recovered. Juf-
tinian, therefore, thought fie to fend him back
again ìììto Italy : but as he came only with an in*
confiderabk force, he rather loft the reputation he
bad acquired before, than made any addition to ir.
For, whilft he lay with his army at Oftia, Totila be-
fteged Rome and took it, as it were, before his face :
but, confidering he could not well maintain it, and
that it would be dangerous to leave it behind hkn
in the condition it then was, he demoliflbed the
greater part of the city, difperfed the titizens, car-
ried the fenators along with him, and making lit*
tie account of Beiifarius, advanced with his army
into Calabria, to cut off the fupplies that were com-
ing out of Greece to reinforce him. Beiifarius,
however, feeing Rome abandoned in this manner,
fefolved^o attempt fomething that might re-eftaWHh
his reputation ; and having once more taken poflef-
fion of that ciry,' ruinous as it was, he rebuilt the
waUs with the utmoft expedition, and then fent to
invite the inhabitants to return to iu But for-
tune did not favour fo meritorious an undertak-
ing : for Juftinian, being at that time invaded by
the Parthiaas, was obliged to recall him. So thait
in obedience lo the commands of his fovereign, he

"^ ' quitted

I

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ì6 T H E H I S T O R Y Book Pi

* quitted Italy, and left that provìnce to the mercy .
Qf Tocila, who retook Rome, but did not exercile
the fame rigour upon it that he had done before :
for being moved by the entreaties of St. Beoediéfc^.
(a pcrfon in thofe days held in great veneration for
his fanftity) inftead of pulling it down again, he ina-
jnediately S3egan to repair the ruins.

In the mean time^ Jqftinrian had made a peace
with the Parthians, and refolving to fend frefti fuc-
cours into Italy, was prevented by a new a)ar<n frovti
the Sciavi, another northern nation, who had pafled
the Danube, and fallen into Thrace and Iliyria ; A>
that Totila had made himfelf mafter of almoft all
Italy. Bui as foon as the Emperor had repelled the
, Sciavi, he fent another army into Italy, under the
conduct of Narfes or Narfctcs, an eunuch, but a
commander of great experience. At bis arrival in
Italy, he defeated and killed Totila ; after whofe
death, the remainder of the Goth^ retired into Pa*
via, and made Teia King over them. Oft the qthef
hand, Narfetes, after his vitìory, took Róme again^
and then marching againft Teia, not only engaged^
but routed and killed him near Nocera : by which
overthrow the Name of the Goths was utterly ex-^
tinguilhed in Italy, after they had reigned there for
the fpace of feventy years, that is, from the tim«
of their King Theodoric to that of Teia. But Italy
had fcarcely freed itfelf from their yoke, when Juf-
tinian died, and was fucceeded by his fon Juftinus»
who, at the inftigation of his wife Sophia, recalled
>Jarfetes out of Italy, and fent Longings thither to

• He afterwards acouired great glory in the Parthian and many
other wars. It is faid by Crinitus, Volaterran, and other Latin
writers, that being accufed of conrpiring againft Juilinian, he was
not only deprived of all his employments, but had his eyes put
out by that rrince in the year 551, and was reduced to fucb a de-
gree of poverty, that he was forced to beg his bread in the ftrects
pf Conftantinople. On the contrary, the author of " The Mixed
Hiftory of Conftantinople. '* Cedrcnus, Alciat, and others, fay, that
he had not his eyes put out, that he was reftored to ali his employ,
ments the year following, and died in peace at Conftantinople^ in 565.

fuper-

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|bok L O F F LO R E N C E. 17

^tkde him. Longinus, after the example of his
eceiTors, kept his rcfidence at Ravenna, but in* -
ped a new form of government into Italy, not
fing governors over Provinces, as the Goths
lÙdKÉllie, but fetting up a Chief in every city and
tOMWi 'any note, with the title of Duke. Nor did
heiinlj^^iny diftinótion betwixt Rome and the other
cidlitil rttis reform : for abolilhing the names and
as^lilite ^ confuls and fenate, which had conti*
nued^4wiMt time, he yearly fent a Duke from Ra-
venna'of bis own nomination, to take upon him the
government of it, which was called the Bucbyy or
Dukedom of Rome. But he that prefided at Ra-
venna, and more immediately rcprefented the Em-
peror, having the fuperintendance of all Italy com-
mitted to his charge, was called the Exarch. This
new divifion not only facilitated, but exceedingly
hailened the ruin of Italy, by giving the Lombards
an opportunity of poffeffing thcmfelves of it. Nar-
fetes was very much difgufted at the Emperor for
depriving him of the government of that Province,
which he had bravely recovered at the expewce of
his own blood : and Sophia not thinking it a fuffi-
cient difgrace to get him recalled, had alfo made
ufe of fome taunts and contemptuous exprcffions ;
fending him word, that /he wanted him at heme tofpin
as other Eunuchs did* . At which he was fo outra-
geoufly provoked, that he incited Alboin, who then

* This general, however, though To unworthily difgraccd, and
deiigned for a fpinfter by womani(h malice and petulance, left many
noble traces of his prowefs in Italy : of which, the following in-
fcription upon a brìdge, about three milts from Rome, may ferve
as one teilimony.

(^am bene curvati direéta eft femita Pontis,

Atque interruptum continuatur iter I
Calcamus rapidas fubjefti gurgitis undas,

£t libet iratae cernere murmur aqu«.
Ite jgitur fstciles in gaudia vedrà Quirites,

fitNarfem refonans, plaufus ubique canati
Q^ potuit i;ifl;idas Gothorum fubdere mentes^
£t docuit durum flumìna ferre jugum.
See a Book, called, Infcriptionum Metricarum Deleflus, pub-
liihed in 1758.

Vol. I. C reigned

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i« THE HISTORY Bt>ckh

reigned oyer the Lombards in Pannonift» to cooM
and invade Italy. :^ .

The Lombards, as wc have . already rcUtcd,-.^d
taken poiTelTion of fuch places upon the Danijyt^ a»
vrere abandoned by the Eruli and Turingi« when
Odoacer their King condudted tbena into ;Ita|y*
There they continued fome time, till the kingdom
fell into the hands of Alboin, a fierce and eiK^-
prizing man, whopaded the Danube, engaged Cti-
nimund. King of the Zepidi, a^pepple fettfcd in Pan-
nonia, and not only defeated .him» but made him*
felf matter of all that country. And though he
married Rofamond, one oT the daughters of CunU
mund, whom he found amongft the prilbners that
were taken, yet fuch was the lavagenefs and inhu-
manity qf his nature, that he ordered a cup to be
made of her father^s (kuU, out pf -which be fome-
times drank in niemory of that vi6lpry. But being
invited into Italy by Narfetes, with whom he had
coBtradted a friendfhip during the war with the
Goths, he left Pannonia to the Huns, (who, as wc
tave (hewn, returned into their' own country after
the death of Attila) marched into Italy, and finding
it cantoned out into fo many divifions, he made
himfdf matter of Pavia, Milan, Verona, Viccn«i
all Tufcany, and the gi*eatcr part of Flaminia, odUr
called Romagna. And imi^gm.ing, from the grcat-
ncfs and fuddennefs of his conquefts, that ail Itftly
was now in a manner his own, he made a magnifi-
cent banquet at Verona v at which be got drunk, aftid
filling the (kull of Cunimund with wine,/ he caufed
it to be prefented to Rofamond bis queen, who fac
over-againtt him at the table, laying (bud enough
to be heard by her) tbar, uj)cnfo^joyfuI an occq^onyjbe
Jhould drink with her Father^ Stung to the quick at
fo cruel a farcafm^ (he fecrc^tly vowed revenge ; and
knowing that Almachild, a noble and brave young
Lombard, ,h^d an amouf with one of her women,
£he prevailed upon her to contrive that (he herfclf
mighc have an opportunity of lying with him-in her
[ \ fltad:

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BodkL O F 1? L O R E N C a i^

ftead : fsn wlitch parpofe he wa« ii«€rèdac«^ into k
(ktark roQOiy wbere he ky with Rofliitiond, fvippoAiig
it had been her maid. After which^ (he difcovcréd
herfelf and told htm, it was novir in his option either
to kill Alboin and tnpy her add the Kingdom, eif
to be put to death by him for vicdating his bed.
Ahti^ehild therefore agreed to kitl his matter : but
aftet* thef liad perpetrated the murder, finding they
were QOt likdljr to maintain pofMion of the-Kihg^^
dom^ but rather to be murdered by the Lombards,
dtit of the afl^dioQ they bore to Alboin, they fled
tvith ill his treaf^re to Longinus at -Ravenna, who
rtceif ed diem with much honour.

During tbefh troubles, Juftinus the Èrtiptfror died,
and Tibenus was eleded in his ^ad ) who, being
engaged in a war with the Parthians, could not fend
toy relief into Italy. Longinus therefore, think-
ing this a fair opportunity to make himfdf King of
the Loqrtbards, and of all Italy» by the help of Ro-
famond and her trèafure, communicated his defign
to her, perfuading her to difpatch Almachild, and
afterwards to take himfelf for her hoft)and :^ which
prOpofal flie acceptec|, and having prepared a cup of
poifoned wine for that purpofe, fbe gave it to Alma-
child with her own hands, as he came thirfty out of
the bath : who having drank about half €£ it, and
finding it begànr to operate, foon perceived what (he
had given him, and thereupon immediately forced
her to drink the reft of tl>e potion herfelf, of which
thty both died ih a few hours, and Longinus loft
all the hopes he had conceived ^f obtaining the
Kingdom : for the Lombards aflembling ac Pavia,
which they had. now made the féit of their govern-
ment^ chpfe Ckfi for their King, who rebuilt Imolrf,
a town that bad been demòliflled by Nàrfetes. He
J^ewife rediiccd Rimini, and almòft all the country
betwiKt that place and Rome, but died ih the midft
,of his viftories* This Clcfi treated hot only ftrang-
trsy hut esfcn the Lombards the^felves, With fuch a
degrm of f igour ma cruelty, that they now grow-

C z ing

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ZQ THEHISTORY Book I.

ing weary of amOntrchical government, deccrmined
to have no more kings, and appointed, thirty Dukes
to rule over them.

This change of their Conftitution was the occa-
fion that the Lombards* could never thoroughly
fubdue Italy, ;nor extend their conqucfts any farther
than Benevento : for as to the cities of Rome, Ra*
venoa, Cremona, Mantua, Padua, Montfelice,
Parma,' Bolc^oa, Faenza, Forii, and Cefena, fome
pf them defended themfclvcs a confiderablc time,
and others never came under thek dominion at alL
For as they had no Kings, they were . Icfs difpofcd
to war; and when they afterwards created Kings
again, the tafte which they had had of liberty made
them lefs obfcdieot to their Prince, more apt to
quarrel amongft themfelves, and not only checked
the courfe of their vitìories at firft, bur, in the end,
was the caufe of their being totally driven out of
luly.

The affairs of the Lombards being thus circum-
(tanced, the Romans and Longinus came to an ac-
commodation with them : and it was agreed that all
parties (hould lay down their arms and enjoy what
they were refpeftively poflTeflcd of.
: About this time the Bifhops of Rome likewife be-
gan to alTume a greater degree of authority than
ever they had done before. The firft fucceffiws of
St. Peter having been held in the higbcft veneration
for the fanftity of their lives and the Miracles they
Wrought, their Examples gave fuch credit to the
Chriftian Religion, that many Princes embraced it
to put an end to thofc evils and diftraftions which
then reigned in the world* And the Emperor
of Rome being converted amongft the reft, and quit-
ting that Capital to hold his refidence at Conftan-
tinople, the Romati Empire began to decline (as wc
have obferved before), whilft the Church of Rome,
on the other hand, daily gathered frefh ftrcngth and
grew more powerful. Nevcrthclefe, as all Italy was
jfubjcft to the dominion cither of the .Emperors^ 4n

Kings;

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Bbokl; OF FLORENCE.. 21^

Kings, tin the coming in of the Lombards, the Bi-,
fliops of that See cook upon themfelves no other*
Authority than what was given them out of reve*:
tence to their learning and the holinefs of their lives :
in civil affairs they were ftill fubjeft to thofe Princes,'
who often employed them as their Minifters, and
ibmetimes put them to death for mal-adminiftration.
Bat what gave them fomething more weight in the
afiatrs of Italy was the rcfolution taken by Thcodo-
ric. King of the Goths^ to remove the feat of his
Government to Ravenna : for as Rome was thereby
left deftitute of a Prince, the Romans, were obliged,
for their own fafety, to put themfelves under the
proteétion of the Pope. This, however, did not
make any great addition to their auth(H*ity : for the
only point they gained at that time, was, that the
Church of Ravenna fhould acknowledge itfelf fub-
jcft to the jurifdiftion of that at Rome ^. But after
the Lombards had invaded Italy and divided it into
fevcral diftrifts, the Pope took that opportunity of
enlarging his power : for as he was the chief pecfon
and in a manner the Head of Rome,^ both the Em-

• Rome never recovered the fatal blow it received firom Con-
ftantjne*s cbangine the feat of the Empire. Glon' and the love of
their country no longer animated the breads ot Romans : their
courage loft its vigour : the Arts funk into decay i and nothing was
heard in the place, * which had been ^e refidence of the Scipios and
Cxfars, but dif'putes and endlefs contentions betwTxt the Bifhops and
fecular Judges. After Juftinian^ time it was governed bjr a Vice-
roy, nnder the title of Exarch, who no longer regarded it as the
capital of Italy $ but living at Ravenna, n'om thence fent his orders
to the Romans. The Bifhop indeed daily augmented his authority
in thefe times of Barbarifm : the power of the Church increafed»
and the Prefe^ of Rome was not awe to oppofe the preteniions of a
perfon that were conftantly fupported by the fan6lity of his pro-
fefllon. In vain did the Church of Ravenna difpute a thouiknd pri-
vileges with that of Rome ; the latter was acknowledged by ali the
Chriftians of the Weft as their common Mother : they confulted
her, they petitioned her to fend them Paftòrs, and whilft the Citjr
was in fubjeflion the Bi(hop ruled abroad.

In this eighth Century, the Popes firft conceived the deiign of
making themfelves mafters of Rome» and faw that what would havo
been deemed a revolt and an inefFeétual fedition at another time,
might now be a Revolution excufable by its neceiHt^, and illuftrious ^
by its fuccefs» 6ee Voltaire's General Hiftory of Europe, VoK I.
P» 33» 34' _

jC 3 pcror

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2tt T H E H I ST OR T BbokL

peror àf .Conftamtinople and tht Lmnbards (b^wed
htm great reijpe^. So chat the Romans, by the In*
tercft of tb? Pope, began to confederice chenrfdvcs
vkh Longinus ami the Lombards^ not as fubjeébs,
but as friendsr aod equaU^ and the Popes entering
into an alliance fofnctimes with the. Lofnbart^, end
fometiiRea witb the Greeks, daily became uUkq and
liiore refptdable and of greater import^ce. But
the EalU^rn Empire foon after feti to decay cmder
die reign of Heracliias, in wbofe time the Sdavi, a
people beforememioned, invaded IHyria again ; and
having made thcipfelvcs mafter^ of that Country,
called it Schvonia after thpir own name : the other
^d»' parts of the Etnpire were likewife attackjcd,
firft by thcPcrfiaiw, afterwards by the Saracrais out
«MEH)f Arsbra, under the command of Mahotnet,
and laft) ofi ail by the Turks, who difmembered it
of Syria, Africa, and Egypt. Upon which the Pcpc^
feeing: tbe Emperors no longer able to proteft diem
iip(Hi ocrcaticm, and the power of the Lombards ftill
increaf]ng, thought it high time to look out for
new friefìda add confederates, and for that purpofe
applied to the Kings of France. So that all the
war^^ which foreigners afterwards made upon JtaFy,
were ctiieijy owing to the Popes, and nioft of the
leverai inundations of Barbarians that poured
themfelves into ir, were, in a great mcafure occa-
fioned by their incitement and inftigation j which
praflices being continued even to this tinrie» havefo
Wg kept,, and fl ill keep, Italy weak and divided.
Howfevei', ift rd^tin^ the events that happened be-
tw^i^t tlipfe times , and our own, I fliall enlarge no
farther of)Dn the ruin of the Empire, but proceed
to give àn account of the eKaltation of the Pontifs
and other Princes that governed luly tili the inva-
fion of Charles VIII. King of France : and fticw
not only how the Popes became formidable and rcr
vered, at firft by their Ecclefiaftidal cenfures,^then
\>y joining temp^r^l arms to thofe fpiritual weapons,

and

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Book L OFFLORENCB. 3^

aDd laftly by tdding^Inc^lgcfices to them ; but like»
wife bow, by making an ili ufe of tbae terror an4
reverence, with which they bad ihfpired mankind,
they have entbely loft the one, and tie at the diicre^
tion and courcefy of the world for the other.

But to refume tlie method we ac firft propofed.
Greg^y Hi. being advanced to the Papacy, and
AtftolphusovAftoiphus made King over the Lon»^
bards, the teifer, contrary to exprefs agreement,
feized upon Ravenna and made war upon the Pope*
Upon which^ Gregory feeing the Emperor of Con^
ftantinople fo debilitated by the abovementione4
loflfes, dcfpaired of any afliftance from that quarter J
and not daring lo confide iri the Lombards, who
had already deceived him moi% than once, he bad
tecourfe to Pepin, who, froon being Lord of Au*
ftria and Brabant, was become King of France, not
fo much by his own valour, as by that of his grand*
father Pepin, and his father Charles Martel. Fot
Charles, being Regent of France, gave the Saracens
that memorable overthrow near Tours upon tht
Loire, wherein above two l^uftdred thoufand of them
were killed.f : upon which his fon Pepin, in confider-

t A perpetual tax upon credulity and fìiperllìtion $ and an in^

exbauftible fource oì riches to the Ronjifli Cljurch.^ The worcj
IttJu^ence, amongft them, lignifies a rjemi/Hon of pui)i(hment due
to Sia, granted by the Church, and fui^pofed to fave the Sinner
from Purgatory. They found their notion of Indulgences upon the
in6nite treafqre of the merits of Jefns Chrvft, the Virgin Mary, and
all the Saints 5 which they fuppofe the Church has a ri|:ht to diftri-
bute by yirtue of the Cam^fmnion of Saints^ 'f he Jubilee (grants a
plenaiy indulgence for ail manner of crime?. Their Caluifts fay
that a plenary indulgence does not always prove efFe£lual, foe
vant of cpmpfying with the conditions upon which it was granted*

It has been a common praóKce with the Pope? to grant Indul-
gences for tjie extirpation of Hereticks. Thus, Clement XII. i|i
ione of his Bulls fays, ** That we may ftir up and encourage tli
Faithful to cxterniinatc this unp^acious Crfw of forlorn tvrfUhef (thp
Cevennòis, then in arms agajnft J^wis XIYO ^'^ freely grant and
indulge the full reroiffion of Sins, whatever they may be, relying
upon that power pf binding apd loqfvtg, wliich our I-ord conferred
on his chief Apoille) to thofe that fliaU liil tbemfelves in this Sacre^
Militia^ if they fall in battle.*'

t According to ApaAafius, Pauluf Piaconus, and feveral other
hi^orians» there were three hundred and feventy, or three hundred

C 4 ation

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:^4 THE HISTORY BotSkh

ation of the father's bravery and his own great rc-
|)utation, was afterwards made fovcrcign of dae
Kingdonti. To him, as -we have /aid, the Pope ap-
plied for fuccour tgainft the Lombards, which he
readily promifed, but fent him word at the fame
time, ^^ he was^ very defirous of firft feeing his Ho*
linefs in France, that he might pay his duty to hino
in perfori." Upon this invitation Gregory fet out
for France, and pafled through the quarters of the
Lombards without the Jeaft impediment or molefta-
tion,. though he was then at war with them : fo
great was their reverence and veneration for Religion
at that time.

. At. his arrival in France, he was received with
great honour, by that Priace, and after fome time
fent back with an army into Italy, which laid fiege
to. Pavia, and reduced the Lombards to fych dif-
trjefsi that Aiftolphus was obliged, to accept of the
tertns .that were granted him by the French, at the
interceflion of the Pope, who faid, " he did not dc«
fire the deaths of his Enemy, but rather that he
fljould >bc converted and live." In this agreement,
Aiftolphus pron)ifed to rettore all the towns he had
. taken from the Church. But as foon as Pepip*s army
was returned into France, he refufed to perform his
engagement, which forced the Pope to make a fe-
cond application to Pepin, who lent another army

and feventy-fivc thoufknd Saracens killed, and but fifteen hundred
of the French. But in this they have followed an exaggerated ac-
count which was fent to the Pope afier the battle, by Eudo Duke
of Aquitain, one of the French generals. But Father Labbè, Me-
derai, Cordemoì, and the beft hiflorians, who fix the date of this
battle in the year 731, fay plainly, that the Saracen army (which
poured itfelf out of Spain into France at that time under the com-
mand of Abderama, governor of Spain for Ifcham, Caliph of the
Saracens) confined but of fourfcore, or, at the moft, a hundred
thoufand men : that ^hey fought till night without giving way, and
were not purfued the next day, when news was brought that they,
had marched away all night. Now it is impoflible that fuch a pro-
digious daughter (hould have been made in an army that ftood it$
ground, or fo many hundred thoufand men be put to the fword,
except they fled and were purfued, and had no quarter given
them. The former account theretore muft be looked upon as ro.
inantic.
r into

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Book L O F F L O R E N C E. 25

into Italy, overcame the Lombards took Ravenna,
and gave it to the Pope with all the other territories
under that Exarchate, and the country of Urbino
and la Marca befides y though much againft the in-
clination of the Grecian Emperon Whilft thefc
things were carrying into execution, Aiftolphus
died, and Defiderius, a Lombard, who was then
Duke of Tufcany, taking up arms to fecurc the
fucceilion of the Kingdom to himfelf, follicited the
afliftance of the Pope for that puipofe, promifing
him his fricndlhip in return for the future -, which
the Pope granted, and he was not oppofed by any
other competitor. And indeed Defiderius for a
while obfcrved his promife with the utmoft punflu-
alicy, and fairly rcfigned thofc territories to thfe
Pope which had been ceded 10 him by tfie agree-
ment made with Pepin : nor were there any more
Exarchs fent from Conftaniinople to Ravenna, whiclt
was afterwards governed acconiing to the will and
difcretionof the Pope alon^^^Not long after, Pe-
pin died, and was fucceedea by his fon Charles, who*
from the greatnefs of his atchicvetnents, was called
Charlemagne;, or Charles the Great.

About the fame time Theodore* the firft was ad-
vanced to the Papal Chair, and quarrelling with
Defìderius was befieged by him in Rome -, which
obliged him to apply for help to Charles, who, paflT*
ing the Alps, (hut up Defiderius and his Sons in
Pavia, took them prifoners, fent them to France,
and went himfelf to vifit the Pope at Rome, where
he declared and adjudged, that bis HolinefSy being
God^s yicar^ was not fuhjeEt to any human jurtfdiSiion :
in return for which favour, the Pope and the Peo-
ple of Rome . unanimoufly made him Emperor^.

* Machiavel feems to have made a mlftake here in the name of
the Pope in whofe Pontificate this event happened, which was Za-
chary, and not Theodore the firft. Voltaire fets this matter in a
clearer lidit in his General Hiftory of Europe, Vol. I. p. 35. "Pope
Gregory III. fays he, was the firft who conceived the defign of
making ufe of the arms of France to wrcft Italy out cf the hands
of the Emperors and the Lombards. His fuccefibi Zachary acknow-

So

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96 THE. HISTORY Boakl

§0 tb^t Roma began to have an'fmptrof i^ tb«
Weft again 5 and though the Popes ^(td to be cpn*?
&rfP€d by the Emperprs before thw tiifie, the Ei»-r
pcror BQW, on fhc contrary, was obliged to be be-
holden to the Pjfpt for his Elcdion : by wbich ihc
Empire began to lofe its^power and dignity,, and the
Church to advance itfclf and extend i|s authority
éaiiy more and more over terppQral Princes» The
Lombi^r^ had been in It4ly two hijndred and twenty-
two years, and now retained nothing of the Barba-
rians, except ^heir Name : (q that Charkmagne, bcr
ing (kfirous to new- model Italy in the Ppntificate
of Leo the third, was content that they ihould wt
only ftill inhabit, but alfo give nanne to that part of
it where, they bad been bred, and call it Lombardy^
And tjia« the Rom^n Name might ftilj be rffpcded
by them, he ordained that all that part of Italy
which lay neareftthem and was under the Exarchate
of Rfivcnria, Ihpuld thenceforth be called Romagna*
He lik^wife made his fpn Pepin King of Itialy, and
extended his Jurilijiiftion asYar as Benevento : whilft
all the reft of it was fufFered to continue under the
dominion of the Grecian Emperor, with whotn be
had entered into a^compofitiom

Udged Pepin, the ufurper of the Crown of France, as lawful So-
vereign. It has been pretended that Pepin, who was then onljr
IVime Miniftcr, fcnt firft to aflc the Pope, whid^ was the vvt>rthier
of the two to fit \ipon the throne, he who took 40 care at all of the
Kingdom, or he who governed it with wifdom, and upheld it by
Jtift'^lour; and that the Pope, who flood in need of Pepin's ai-
^^nci^ determined 5a favour of the Jafier. It has never been
provedf indeed that this f^fce was realiy'a6ted : but it is certain
that Pope 8tepbtn HI. the next fi^celfbr but one to Zachary,
• failed Pepia to his fuccour i that he forge4 a letter from St. Peter,
addrefled from Heaven to Pepin and his fon j that he came into
France and gave the royal Uné^ion to Pepin, the firft anointed
King in Evrope, in the Church of St. Dem^if, |le likewife forbad
the Frena» on pain of Excommunication, ever to chufc a King of
liny ot|i»er family. Whilft this Bifliop, expelled from Italy and
fprced io bccoinc a fijpplicant in a foreign country, had the courage
to give law to Natiors, bis Policy prompted him to aflMoie an au-
tbfMrity wlùch fipcured Pepin : and that Prince, in order to enjoy
wh^ was not his right lyithout diiiurbance or moleflation, fuffere^
the Pope to ufurp prerogatives that did not belong to hira.

This Biibop was the firft Chriftian Prieft that became a temporal
I«erd| and that was placed in the rank of Princes,

Dur-

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BbokL OF FLORENCE. «7

I During thcfe tranfadions, Puftal che firft ww
tfte^ed Pope ; and the P^iDchidl Clergy of Rome,
on account of their bring nearcft the perfpn of the
Pope and ready at hand upon every £k6bkm, began
to call tbetnfelves^ Cardinals, (in t^fficr to add fome
Dignky to their power by a fplendid title) and ai^
Aimed ib nf>ach authority, dpecklly after they had
excluded the fufirages of the Laity, that it hanily
ever happened that a Pope was el^sd who was not
one of their Body. 80 that when Pafcal died, E«i-
geniifs (the fecond Pontif of that name) Cardinal
of Santa Sabina, was chofen by them to fuccetd
him : and Italy being thus fallen into the hands of
the Fmnch, in fome mcafure changed its face imd
conftitution, by the Popes having tdcen upon them*
felves greater authority in temporal afl^irs, and the
French introducing the Titles of Count and Mar*
quis, as Longinus, Exarch of Ravenna, had done
that of Duke before. After fame others f Ofpiorco,
a Roman, fuccceded to the Papacy, who being
aftiamed of fo ugly a name, aiTumed that of Scngtus ;.
which firft gave rife to the cuftom of the Popes
changing their names, as they now always do at their
EleéUon.

In the mean time Charlemagne died, and was
fucceeckd by his fon Lewis : but after his death,
there arofe furh difcord amongft his Sons, that, in
the days of his Grandchildren, the Empire was
wrefted ouc of the hands of the French, and the
feat of it eftaWifeed in Germany by Ainolphus, the
firft Emperor of that nation, And indeed the pofi
terity of Charlemagne not only loft the Empire, but
their Sovereignty in Italy likewife, by their diflcn-
tions : for the Lombards gathering freih (h'ength,
commenced hoftilities againft the Pope and the Ro*
mans, who, ntrt knowing where to have recourfefor

f See the orJgijQal of C^ràìnsA9, and the meaning of t^atwor^t
in the prolegomena to the Life of Pope Sixtug V. Number V. which
is too long to be inferted as a Note.

t Bocca di PorcQ j Os Porci j S'wiwi^J f^ct.

pro-
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28 THEHISÌTORY Book t

proteétion, were forced to make Bcrengarius, dien
Duke of Friuli, King of Italy. This encouraged
the Huns, who at that time were fettled in. Panno-
jjia, to invade Italy once more : but they were de-
feated in an eng^gient witfaBerenganus, and driven
back again into rannonia, or rather Hungary, which
was the name they had given to that province. At
that time Romanus was Emperor of Greece, who,
having been Admiral of Conftantine's fleet, had de-
prived him of the Empire : and becaufe Puglia and
Calabria (which, as we faid before, were ftill left
fubjed to the Empire) had revolted, during thefc
innovations, he was fo enraged at their rebellion, ,
that he fuffered the Saracens to invade thofe Pro-
vinces; who having fubducd them, endeavoured
like wife to make themfelves matters of Rome. But
the Romans (as Berengarius was fufficicntly employ-
ed in defending himfelf àgainft the Huns) made
Alberic, Dukeof Tufcany, their General : by whofe
valour their city was preferved from the fury of thè
Saracens, who being obliged to raife the fiege, re-
tired from thence and built a fortrefs upon -f Mount
Gargano, By which they commanded Puglia and
Calabria,' and infefted all that part of Italy. In
this miferable manner was Italy harrailèd at that
time, by the Huns on that fide next the Alps, and
the Saracens on the other towards Naples : which
troubles continued fevcral years under three pf t».
Berengarii, who fucceffivcly reigned over it, Dur-
ing which fpace the Pope and the Church were like-
wife continually molcfted and difturbcd, being de-
prived of all fuccour and protcélion by the diflcn-
tions which reigned amongft the Weftern Princes,
and the weakncfs of the Eaftern. The eity of Ge-
noa and all its adjacent territories were alfo ovcr^
run and laid wafte by the Saracens : which depopu-
lation gave birth to the greatnefs of Pifa, by the
rcfort of multitudes thither that had been driven

t Now called Monte St, Angelo*

0«t

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Book I. O F F L O R E N C E. 2y

out of their own country. Such was the condition
of Italy in the year 931.

But Otho, Duke of Saxony and fon of Henry
and Matilda, fucccedingto the Imperial crown, and
being a man of great reputation^nd prudence,
Agapctus the Pope implored his affiuance to deliver
his country from the. tyranny of the Berengarii. At
that time the feveral States of Italy were governed
in this manner* Lombardy was under the jurifdic*
tion of Berengarius the Third and Albert his ibn.
Tufcany and Romania, under the dominion of a go-
vernor deputed by the Emperor of the Weft. Some
parts of Puglia and Calabria were fubjeA to the Gre-
cian Emperor, and others to tht Saracens. Ac
Rome two Confuls were elected every year out of the
Nobility, who governed it, according to ancient cuC»
torn : to whom a Prcfeft was joined to adminifter
juftice to the people. They had likewife a Council
ofTwehe^ which annually appointed Governors over
all the towns in their jurildiftion. The Pope had
more or lefs authority in that city and the reft, of
Italy, according as he had more or lefs intere^4Mth .
the Emperors, or other Princes that had tl^^grtatcit
power there. Otho therefore marched into Italy and ,
drove the Berengarii out of a Kingdom which thej^
had poflcfled fifty-five years 5 and re-eftablilhed the
Pope in his former dignity. This Prince had a fon
and agrandfon both of his own name, who in their
turns fucceeded to th^ Empire : and in the time of
Otho the Third, Pope Gregory the Fifth was driven
out of the City by the Romans. Upon which, Otho
returned into Italy to reinftate him his Chair : and
the Pope, to revenge Rimfelf upon the Romans,
took the power of creating Emperors from them,
and vefted it in fix Princes of Germany, three of
whom were the BiQiops of Munftcr, Treves, and
Cologne ; the other three were temporal Princes,
namely, the Duke of Brandenbourg, the Prince Pa-
Uti^e of the Fhine, and the Duke of Saxony, who

were

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JO THE HISTORY Book L

were afterwards ftyled EUaers^ and their States»
Ele£torates. This happened in the year IQ02.

After the death of Otho the Third, Henry Duke
of Bavaria, was chofcn Emperor by thefe Eledors,
biit not crowned till twelve years after, by Stephen
tlie Eighth. Henry and Sinoeonda his wife were
eminent for their piety, as appears from the many
Churches that were built and endowed by themi
amongft which is that of St. Miniato, near Florence.
Henry died in the year 1024, and was fuccceded by
Conrade gì Suabia 1 and Conrade by Henry the Se-
cond, who came to Rome, and Bniding a fchifm in
the Church, as there were then three different Popes
fet up at the lame time, he depofcd them all, anct
caufed Clement the Second to be elefted, by whom
he was afterwards crowned Emperor.

The ftates of Italy were th^n governed feme by

the People, (bme by Princes, and others by the Mi-

mfters of the Emperors, one of whom had the title

df Chancellor, and prefided over all the red. The

^moft confiderable and powerful of all the princes

'f t«M|^rind|[ey, huiband to tbeCountefs Matilda, who

* ^|ffl?^Ryinter of Beatrice, fitter to Henry the Sc-

A^d. ^e and her Hulband were in pofieffion q£

JiXicca, Reggio, Maijtua, and all that territory whici

ts now called the Patrim^nf of $bi Church. The Popes

at that time were not a little embarra0ed and di-

ftrcified by the ambition of the Roinans % ht though

they had made 1^ of the Papal authority to rid tb^m-

felvesl of the Emperors ; yet, as foon as the Popes

had taken upon them the government of the City,

and made fuch a reform in it as they thought proper,

the cLtiaens on a fudden became thair enemies, and

did them more and greater injuries than any Prince

in Chriftendom: and at a time when t|ie Pontifs

made all the W^ftern part of the world tfeoftble at

the thunder of their C^nfures, that people alone had

the hardinefs to rebel; fo that each party. at laft re-

.folyed to leav$ no endeavours uotried iop^ down

I the

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Bbok L 0 P F L O tt E N C E. ^i

tKe repQtfttiofi and adtbority of the t>th6r. Accord^
ifigly, wbea Nicholas the Second was promoted to
the Papacy, as Gregory V. had taken from the Ro-
mans the privilege of chufing their emperors ; fo Ht
deprived thetti of their right of confirming the eledion
of the Popes by their approbation, and confined it to
the Cardinals only. Nor was he contented with this^
' but having entered into a treaty with the Princes who
then governed Puglia and Calabria, for reafons which
ihall be prefently explained, he obliged all the ma-
giftrates that were fent by the people of Rome intQ(
places under their jurifdidtion, to acknowledge the
JPope's authority^ and fomc he deprived of their of-
fices. After the death of Nicholas, there was another
Ichifm in the Church ; for the Clergy of Lombard/
would not pay obedience to Alexander the Second,
(who had been chofen Pope at Rome) but fèt up Ca«
dolus of Parma, as Antipope. Upon which, Henry
the Emperor, who could not bear to fee the Popes
fo powerful, commanded Alexander to refign tiie
Papacy, and the Cardinals to repair into Germ^iny,
to make a frelh ekdion : for which be had ihtf &o^^ *
tmvtf of being the' firft Prince that was mille ftnfibV^
of the weight of fpiritual weapons. For tlie Pope
caufing a new council to aflfeimble at Rome, deprived
hitn both of his kingdom and empire * : and Ibme

• There refided at that time in Rome, a Monk of the Order ^f
Clfiny, lately oreated Cardinal ; a man of a refttefi, fierj» enter-
prizing dilpofition, but chiefly remarkable for his fUri<^ yeal for
the prcften^one bf the Church, which he (bmetimes made fabfèr-
vient to his own pÉ*ÌTftte interefts. Hildebrand was the name of
thw daring man, afterwards the celebrated Gregory VII. He waa
born at Soana In Tufeany of obfcure parcaitage, brdujght tip at
Rome, admitted a Monk of.Clany, deputed afterwards to ne-
gotiate the affairs of his Order at Rome, and then èmj^loyed by
the Popes in jill political concerns that required refi>hition and aa-
àreh. He had the chief management of the Chnrch under Alex-
ander II. which led him to confider the tnoubles in GérrDany as a
favourable conjunaure for ftriking a bcM ftroke there, hi h'St^ he
engaged Alexander to excohimuAicate his ibverei^n Henry IV. ui^-
dter a pretence cif its being reported that 'HerUry fold Benefices in
private, and led alcandaloos hfe in the company of l^wd wòii^en.
Upon the demiib of Alexander, Hiklébrat^d proeared hir^tfólf to
be eleóled and infialled by the people of Rome» without waiting

of

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52 THEHISTORT Book L

<tf the Italian States efpoufing the Pope's party, and
fome the Emperor's, gave birth to the two famous

for the £mperor*s permiflìon : but he (bon obtained that» by pro«
iniflne fealtv and allegiance. Henry admitted of his excufes, and
bis Cnancellor of Italy repaired to Rome to confirm the eleftion.
But he was fcarcel}^ fettled on the Papal throne» when he pro-
nounced Excommunication againft all thofe that accepted benefices
from the hands of Laymen, and againfi: every Layman that con«
lerred them. His defign was to deprive all fecular Patrons of the
right of preientation to Church livings 5 which indeed was fetting
the Church at open variance with the Sovereigns of all Chriftian
nations. Henry, amazed at this prefumption, called a council at
"Worms, by the advice of the States, in which hedepofed Gregory
as a Simoniac and public difturber of the Peace of the Church and
Empire t and afterwards fent an envoy to read this decree of the
Council to the Po|>e, and command him to refign and ceafe to pro-»
fane the Holy Chair, of which the Emperor was Guardian. Upon
this, the Pope declared in a Council of 110 Italian Bifiiops, " That,
by the Authority of God and St. Peter, he depofed Henry from the
Imperial throne, and abfol vedali his fubjeóls from their obedience.^*
The Emperor protciled againft this Excommunication, and the
Fope*s uuirpation over his crown ; alledgingthe example of Charle*
ma^ne, ana others, who had the power of confirming the Popes,
which feveral of them, and particularly Gregory himfelf, had
acknowledged to be the Emperor's right. But the German Prelates
and Princes, who had engaged Henry in their caufe, now deièrting
bim, and threatening to dethrone him, he was forced to pafs the
Alps in the rigour of the winter, with his Emprefs, his Son, and
one Gintleman only to attend him; and being almoft famiihed
with hungei^ and ftarved with cold, this great Emperor, who had
beei\ celebrated for fo many vi61^ories, was obliged to throw himfelf
at the Pope*s feet, after he, his Emprefs, and his fon, had waited
three days at his gate, in the habit of Penitents, bare-footed, with
their heads uncovered, though it was then the middle of January,
and without eating a morfei of bread : after which, and agreeing
to the Pope*s terms, he was abfolved. Upon this, the Princes of
Italy defpifing him as a coward, and the rope as a Tyrant and Si-
mcniac, conipired asainft them both. The Emperor, therefore,
perceiving how much he had abafed himfelf, and diiappointed
thofe Princes, who hoped for a Reformation of the Church, through
his alHAance, at laft called them together, and having accufed the
Pope, as the caufe of the ruin of the empire, he demanded their
fuccour againft him 5 by which ftep he regained their affeftions,
and afterwards kept the Pope in a manner blocked up. at home.
The German rebels in the mean time, chofe Rodolphus, Duke of
Suabia, Emperor, and crowned him at Mentz, in the ^ear 1077 f
upon which, Henry returned into Germany, and defeated the
forces of Rodolphus, which fo terrified the Pope, that he endea-
voured to make an accommodation betwixt tliem. But thei Rebels
complaining, that he abandoned them in a cau(è, wherein he him-
felf had firft engaged them, he excommunicated Henry a fecond
time, confirmed the ele£^ion of Rodolphus, and fent him a crown,
with this infcription upen it :

Petra dcdit Petro, Petrus diadema Rodolpho.

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faftions of Guclfs and Ghibelincs, and to thofe intcf*
tine difcords which tore their country to pieces, after
it was at laft delivered from the fcourge of Barbarian»
and foreign inundations.

Henry being thus excoitimunicated was forced bf
his own fubjc6ts to go to Italy, in the year jo8o,
where he made his peace with the Pope, by aflcing
pardon upon his bare knees. Not long after^ how-
ever, there happened another quarrel betwixt him
and the Pope, and Henry was again excommunicat-
ed : at which he was fo exafpcrated, that he fcnt his
fon, whofe name alio was Henry, with an army to
Rome ; where, with the afJlftance of the Romans,
who hated the Pope, he befieged hini in his' caftle :
but receiving intelligence that Robert Guifcard was
marching out of Puglia to the Pontiffs relief* he did
not wait for his arrival, but returned into Germany*
The Romans, however, perfifted in their contumacy
to fuch a degree, that Rome was jonce more facked
by Guifcard, and reduced to that ruinous condition
from which it had but lately emerged by the care and
pains of fo many Pontifs* And as a fon of this Ro*
bcrt iirft founded and modelled the Kingdom of Na*
pies, it may not be foreign to our purpofe to give a
particular account of his cxtradion and achieve-
ments.

Upon the difcords that arofe amotigft the pofterity
of Charlemagne, which we have already flightly men-
tioned, the Norttjans, another northern people, took
the opportunity of 4nvading France, and got poflVf-
fion of that part of it, which from them is ftill called

Which wretched pun (erves to ihew the talte cf thofe times, and th«
intolerable pride of the Roman Pontif.

After this, Henry having at laft totally fubducd his competitor,
called a council at Tyrol, in ^^hich he depofed the Pope, and, paifing
the Alps, took Rome by ftorm, stnd befieged him in the caftle of St.
Angelo, fro»n whence, however, he was delirered by the Duke of
Apulia, and died foon after, leaving behind liim a memory dear and
facred to the Roman Clergy, who inherited his pride ; but deteftable
to the Emperors, and every good Citizen, who confiders the etfc^li
of his infatiable ambition. See Voltaire's Qen. Hift. Vol* I. from p.
19^ to p. 209. And Hiftoire d' AlLemagne, par Monfieur d^ Prade.

^ Vol, I. D . NoN

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34 T >t E H I S T O R Y Book L

Normafidy ^'. One divifipn of this people iforcèd its
way into Italy, at the time wheh it was fo- crueHy?
Iiàrrafled and over-run by the Berengarii, f he Sara-
tcns^ and the Huns ; and getting footing in- Romag-
ttà, during thcfe troubles, they bravely maintained-
their ground. Tancredi one of the Norman chiefs^
had feveral Ibns; amongft whom were William^,
called Fcrabar, or Fier-a-bras^, and Robert, furnamed
Guifcard. After the difturbances in Italy were ine
fome meafure compofed, and tranquilHty reftored,^
WilFiam became their prince. But the Saracens be-
Jhg in poffeflion of Sicily, daily infcfted the coafts of
Italy in Rich a manner, that William was obliged to
enter into a confederacy with the Princes of Capua
and Salerno, and with Milorcus, a Greek, (who was^
deputed Governor of Puglia and Calabria by thè
Grecian Emperor) in order to invade Sicily : and it wa*
agreed, that both the booty and iflahd itfelf fliould be
equally divided amongft then>, in calè they (hould
make a conqueft of it. The enterprife was attended
^^•rth fuccefs -^ for they drove the Saracens out of thè
Country, and took poffeflion of it themfelves. Bat
Milorcus having caufed more forces to be privateìjic
tranfporred out of Greece, fcized upon the ifland iiv
tìie name*of the Emperor, and only divided the fpòil
with the reft : at which, William was not a little dif» .
gufted, but thinking it proper to diffemble his re-
^ntment till a more convenient opportunity, he de-
parted out of Sicily with the Princes of Capua and
Salerno. But. as foon as they left him, to return to
^heir refpeftive homes, inftead of going back agairv
into Romagna, he made a fuddei> march with his
'army into Puglia, furprifed Melfi, and foon^ reduced
almoft all Puglia and Calabria, in fpight of the Em-
peror's forces i which Provinces were governed by
his brother Robert, till the time of Nicolas the
^Second. And as he afterwards had many difputes
with his Nephews about the inheritance of thofe States»

• 'Before tliAt time called Néùftrià*

he

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he mtreàtéd the Pc^c to ufc hU authority to compbfe
tlmn (, which his Holioefs readily complied with, as
he was very defirous to make Robert his friend by any
means» that fo he might fupport him againft the
power of tì>e German Emperor, and the petulance of
the Romans: and it afterwards happened, as we have
juft related» that upon the follicitation of Gres:ory
Vn. he drove Henry away from Rome, and chaftifed
the inffolcrtce of the Inhabitants*

Robert ^às fucceeded by his two Sons, Roger and
William, who not only annexed the city of Naples,
and all the Country betwixt it and Rome, to their in-
heritance, but alfo fubdued Sicily, of which Roger
was made Lord. But William going fome time af*
twwards to Conftantinople, to marry the Emperor**
da«ighcer, Roger took the opportunity of invading
his brother's dominions, which he foon made himfclf
inafter of ; and being elated with fo great an acquifi-
f ion, caufed himfclf at firft to be called King of Italy^
but afterwards was contented with the title of King ^
PugUa and Sicify ; being the firft that gave the King-
dom that name and form of government, which it
retains to this day ; though it has happened fince,
that not only the reigning family, but the very peo-
ple have been often changed. For, upon the failure
of the Norman line, the Kingdom was transferred to
tht Germans j from them to the French ; from thie
.French to the Arragonefe; and froia them to the
Flemings, who * Itili are in pofleffion of it.

• The reader is here defired to remember, that this Hiftory wat
publifhed in the year 1531. Since which time, the Kingdom of Na-

,ple8 has often again chanj:ed its Mafters ; particularly in 1707, whoa
the Spaniards, who then had it, were driven from thence by the Im'-

..perialifts : and at the Peace of Utrecht in 1713, Naples was confirmed
to the. Emperor, and Sicily allotted to the Duke of Savoy, with th$
title oJF King. The Spaniards invaded Sicily in 171^, but were forced
to abandon it again, and -then it was conferred on the Emperor
Charles VL who held it till the year 1735, when the Imperialiils were
driven out of this inland, and all their Italian dominions ; and Don
Curios, the King of Spain's eldeft Son, by the Princefs of Parma, hi«
Ua>nd Wife, was advanced to the throne of the Two- Sicilies, (Na«
{^es and Sicily) whither he was convoyed by a fquadron of Britiih
laen of war, under the command of Sir John Norris. It was coti*

D 2 In

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jé T H E H I S T 0 R Y. Boqk I;

•. Itì the mean time. Urban the^ccorui had fucceed-
fd to the Pontificate : but as he w^$ a perfon very
difagreeable to the Romans, and did not think him-
lelf fecure in Italy, on account of. the difturbancca ,
there, he removed, with all his Clergy, into Francei
where he firft laid the plan of a very noble and ge-
nerous undertaking. For haying aflembled a great
concourfe of People at * Antwerp, he made an elo-
quent and pathetic harangue againft the Infidels, which
infpired them with fuch an ardour, that they refolved
upon an expedition into Afia againft the Saracens :
and this expedition was called a Crufade (as thofe of
the fame kind were likewife afterwards) becaufc all
that embarked in it bore a red Crofs upon their ar*
mour and clothes. The chief commanders in thisenf
terprize were Godfrey, Euftach, and Baldwin, Counts
of Bouilk>n, and f Peter the Hermit, a man held in .
exceeding grest veneration, both for his prudence
and fanfticy of life. Many Prinqes and Nations.con^
tributed to it with their purfes, and nwmbers of pri-
vate Gentlemen ferved as volunteers without any pay
pr ftipend : fuch an influence had Religion at that
time over the minds of men, animtated by the exanx-
pie of their Commanders ! This enterprize was i»c
firft very fuccefsfui ; for all Afia Minor, Syria, and
part of Egypt, were conquered by the Chriftians :
and during the courfe pf this war, the Order of the
Knights pf Jerujalem was infticutcd, which ftill fubfifts,
and being in pofl'e.flion of Rhodes J, is the chief bul-
wark againftnhe power of the 1 urks. The Order

firmed to him by a fiibfequent treaty, and IHll continiies in his fa-
mily, though the Qn^een of Hungary likewife claims a right to thit
Kingdom.

•"Machiavel is miftaken in the name of the place ; it was at Cler-
mont in Auvergne, where Urban harangued the people in the market-
place. See Voltaire's Gen. Hift. Vol. I. p. 263.

, t A Pilgrim of Amiens, firft known by the name of Coucoupietre,
<>r, Cucupierte, Ibid.

^ \ I They were driven out of Rhodes by the Turks, in the time of

Soliman II. and the Emperor Challes V. gave them the Ifle of Malta,

- when Monfienr de Phle Adam, uncle to Anne de Montmorency,

.Oonftsble of France, was their Grand Mailer. And this Ifland ba»

been their chief place of refidence ever fincc, *

of

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Book I. OF F L O R È N C E. ^7

of the Knights Templars was likewife founded in thcfe
times ; but their manners grew fo difTolute that it was'
foon abolilhed. After thefe rhings, many events hap-
pened, in which feveral nations and divers particular.
men diftinguiflied themfelves at different times and
upon various pccafions. The Kings of England and.
France, the States of Pifa, Venice, and C
engaged in this expedition, and acquired
tation, carrying on the war with variety
till the time of Saladme' the Safacen, w
and good fortune, added to the difcord
amongft theChriftiafi Princes, at laft rob!
the glory they had giined,' and drove thct
country where they had fo happily and
maintainetl their^ootinn; for the fpace of j
After the death of Urban, Pafcal the

made Pope^, and Henry the Fourth fuccc

Empife; who, coming to Ronie, and

great refpeA for the Pope, found means

ftbth him and all hi^ Clergy in prifon : n

afterwards be prevailed upofttofet hirp ^t li.b.erjty^

à'g^n, tiH he had extorted a licence from him to dit-/ .

pofc of all the Churches in Germany as he pleafcd *.,

■• ' . • ' ■ ■ *"

* • After the deatli of* the Emperor Henry IV. hh Cojn Henry V.ber^
ing defirous to be crowned by the hands oftha ftqpe, according t<>.
the ufnal manner. Pa (cai refuted to put the CrowiVupon his .hei^dj . iP9(-ì :
cept he would renounce his right to the invellitujres of Be0cfice3. Buti
the young Prince difdaining fuch a propofai, caufed tbd I^pe andj^l«.
Ciergy, and alltjic principal perfons of the city of lloinefo be feiz^d».
a] .- two months i at the end of which, the Pope ^

n crowned him* It is faid, that Pjcfcal, when

h to Henry, which he had ponfecrated at'Mafs»-

fj aatfi *♦ May it pleafe ypor Majeity, in con-;

fi e,, and 9ur mutual unioa, I ^ivc you the Body;

Ó who was bòra of t he Virgin Mary, and jdicd '

i 1$ the Catholic'k Church believestV But the,

C ^is conceiTion inthe Pope, he revoked it in a-

c that haying taken on&f)a*tof the Holl, and;

giveii the. oth^i^ tp- the Emperor, he cxprefTcd hipìfòìK thus: " Sicut
pars haec vivi£clcorporIs di'vifa eft, ita divifu» fit a^'CgnQ.Chriili do-'
jpim.noftrl'qùipa^ùm hoc violare tentaveritj- tha|)Ì9i " May he be
excluded the .Kingdom of. Heaven, who goes, about to violate this
agreement.** SIgon. iib)«.x. But the Emperor was hardly got inioGer*^
ipai^y, when the Pope rfiifed the. Saracens again ft, him, by whom he
was defeated^ aiid' forced t^, give .up the matter of Inv^fUture»* Thiv

i D 3 About

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jS, T H E H J ^ T O R Y Bpqk I;

Abqijit this time, the Coufitefs MaiiWa dkd, and left

all her pofleffions to the Church*. After the death.

of Pafcal and Henry IV. many Popes acid Empe^r^i

e Papacy fell to Alexander UU ^xid.

:derigk Barbarofla^ a Sua^n, '

that interval, had had m^y .qff^-^

le people of Rome and* the ÈnipC'.'.

to a ftill greater height in the. titn^.

"rederick was aa wceli^at foldier,

:y ^ difpofitioh, that be^puld nq^^

1 of fuboxitting to the. I^ope ; y^t h^

% be crowned, and after that, ret;urn«^

I Germany. But this pacific tcn?,per-

long -, for he fpecdily returned, m^^

>me towns in Lombardy that refufed^

vhich juncture it happened, that the

;ien^cnt, a Roman bom, was ^t up,

-, and ehofea Pppe.by fome of th»

1 which^ Alexander complaii;ied of

the Emperor, whg^ then ky cacampw|

Fbpe excomnjvnicated the Biflipp of Florence, for ikying Ant5chn(|^

was theft ba?n^ PJiatina. Baronius. Hen. Caniflus,
f^ Sjh'e was D.^ughter of JBoniface, lylarqvjs qf T^iftany, and $iS9^

trice, the Daughter of Conrade IT. She waged war againft the Em-

e Gregory yn. who l.iadÉ;ain^^fucl^
lis perluafion, Ibe made an abfolilte.
Holy 8ee, referving to: berfeJf onJjp
Henry was her next h^ir, both, as ^'
She often led her armies in perlòi)t
reptìtation by her courage and con-*
)f being too famiiiair with pope Gre*
or. He was (hut up witFj her in the
in the Apennine Mo^ntains, all tW
iprefs" and Son, were dbinjg; penance,
er befòremcntionc^. It is true, he
itilda was a younj^, w^k v^^'^an, '
find in his letters to the princcfs,'
>f his ambition, iprght indi^cé i^m.^d^
elig^on as a cloak to alFh^s palilom*
had' loft Pop0 Gregory, fee niarricd
I of Guelph, the BuKe of Bavarian
5 haid bee» guilty^ of tn njajtnig thei
le ^as at that time, but fqrty-b*^'
i had cljiHreri, v(ho mwft h*vc ctt-'
heir inhcrit^ée. See Lambert, tfee
Bàronius, i^hiu Aimalijj and Vol^'
aoi, 105. - - y

- .^ : before

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BjK^I. OF. RL O R ENCE.V ^

bfifq^c Cpcma, wd- rtcefivcd for anf^fcr, ^ ibat \mk
of thein muk conpe p^rfonaUy before i^im» atid wheo^
i^ had beard then* refpeftiye pretenfions^ be fbQuidt
tc better able to judge which of them was the trua
l^opc." But Alexand^ being diflatisfied with tbisb
4infweF> ^n4 pcrceiviqg that the Emperpr yas inclii^ij
tf> favour the Antipop^, imti^ediately excoipìEuunica(ìe4
him and fled for refuge to Philip King qf France. Fre-
derick, however, ftill profccgtiag the w^r in Lom-s
t)iardy, took Milan^ and difcnantkd ij; i w^ich QCC^->
:ftoned the Cities of Verona, Padi»a^ ai^d Vètùc^t iKt
•^nter iojcp a confederacy &>r tbieu: cpi^unoa (k£^cQ
4ga;nfl: him.

In the me?n tun?: th^e ^fltipppe died, ^ Frcd©7
tic^ .fee up Quid? ,<?É )prei?ripBa: ia h^s rpop». . The
3p.o^a^iS, therefgr?, ijajcing adyajntag45 of the Pope ■« •
4bfcncc, sjn^ ff^iflg tfefi Eoppcror fufgcigitly emp|oyied
ifì Lomb^4y» h%d .|iof q^^ refum^ foiaochiog of
their i^ctept ^uthqri^yin Rooxe, duricig (his in^rva^
tout k^ejwU^ d|eD}ai>rt?4 {^bt^knoe 6*0» osber ftate$
wluch h^ beeo 6>riperly Aibje;^ to tbem« And ber
fauife ^^Ifuj^^j^s refii^ to acknowkdge thdr
jurifcK^^op^ ^?y niftrphp^ ftVt ia a confu'lf d and tu^
multviig^u^ Sq^ of ^ a, op^P^ffl ag^i^ft thecQ : but as the
iatter yirfr^ fuccQui!^4j^y the Emperor, they defeated
the l^qmiaifis, and ^y/ {<^ mai>y of them» that aficer
fh^t , time^. Roqip w^s newr &> rich ^ populous

^jn as it h^<i l?^jnt j>pfp/c^ ^

'I'hif ^ncQvx^igi^ P<)P9 AlcKsmdcr ità ireturn to th^
Cif^y ^^rc 1?? tbft^ight be might now be fafc cnoujgh
or^ac^ou^itof the^pmitjr ^wixt Frederick and the
^qma,ns, apfl b^c^u^ he knew his bands were full ia
5Up!ajlpard;X- 5"^ Fppdw<;k po^ponipg evcify other

<». TuC^qluyix was a Uttle terratory not far l^ora Rome» fitjuiated if
^hat parr which at pjifeiit' is' called la Campagna df Roma. It was
iiinou&fiH' Citerò"» VUta/ whicl) is now in the pofl^flron of the fiorgw
ijtó fem^y. It if the fi^at of a ?i(hop, i^o fljll. rctii9% tke n*me of
Tutctirantié Bpiicbpiisk Thf tov/n of Tufculpm w;i» ^eftroycd in thi
. tiM^I^Gèleiftihein. 1>ccanfe the inhabitants fidcd with the Imperial-
if^9 ^^ 'Fr^c^^l buijt itpon its ruins about k6ìì yeaw ag<^, ' There arb
fJP^i Vf\^^W 9f p^acfii Qjr pleafure in 9fii abl^^ lU

D 4 -confi*

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40 T H^e: H I S T O R-Y Book L-

coftfideraeion, marched with his- army to bcSège
Rome, where Alexander did not think fit to wait
for him, bue retired into Puglia, of which WiUram*
was become King by right of inheritance after the
death of Roger. Frederick being driven away by
the Plague, railed the fiege and returned into Ger**
many: and the Lombards who had confederated
againft him, in order to diftrefs Pavia and Tortona,^
towns, that adhered to the Emperor's party, built an-^
other city, which they defigned to make their maga-
zine, or>place of arms, during that war, and called
it Alexandria, in honour of the Pope and defiance of
the Emperor. In the mean time. Guido the Anti-'
pope died, apd John of Ferrilo was fet up inr his
foom, who, by the favour of t)ic Imperial parry, wa»
fufFered to refide at Montefiafcohe : whilft Alexander
waif gone to Tufeulum at the invitation of that Peo-
ple, who thought his authority would «proteòì: them
againft the Romans. During his^^ftay there, Arribaf*
(adors came to him from Henry, King of England,
to clear thoif l\4«fter ^ tlie death of Thomas Becker,
Archbifliop of Canterbury ; of which he Bad been
publickly, but tnjurioufly accufed. Ta ittqtrire inta
tfte tJTuth of this matter^ the Pope^fent wo Cs^rdinals
10 England j who, though ^ tìieré was* no fuffictent
proof of the- King*s guilt, yet on account of the in^
famy pf itHe fad, antt becStìfe hi^ Majefty had not
ihewn the Archbifhop due refpcift, as they pretended;
enjoifitd-ibim fot* a Pcnamse, that ' he fhould tall all
tJ^ Barons of bis Kingdom together, and make oath
iof his - iaruic^4!ce- in their prelcnee : that he fhould
immcdiat>ftty- fc«d two hundred Tòldiefs. to Jerufafcnrf,
to be pid tiy hitp, for twelve months, and follow
them in perfon thither with as great a force as he could
l^aife, before the expiration of tìfree years : ^nd fatr
ther, f}iat he (hould not only be obliged to abrogate
^11 a6h that had been pafled in his Kingdoni to the
prejudice of the Church and Eccléfiaftìcal inwiwir
ties, but .give any of his fubjefts leave to appeal té
Rome Ppon^ occafion, * whenfoever, and as often' ìaà

they

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Book I. OF F L O R E N C E. ^r

they had a mind : all which conditions were accepted
by H^nry, and that great Prince fubmittcd to a fcn-
tence which would be fcorned and rejeded by any
private man at this time of day *. Neverthelefs,
whilftthe authority of the Pope was fo formidable to
foreign Princes, he had not power enough to make
himfelf obeyed at home ; nor could he prevail upon
the Romans to let him refide in thcii-City, though he
promifed them not to concern himfelf about any thing-
but what immediately concerned the interefts of th«*
Church. From whence it feems, as if authority that
fbpports itfelf merely' by appe2H*ances, is /more dreaded'
at a diftance, than by thofe that are upon the tpoi,^
and have an opportunity ^f looking more narrowly*

into the nature of it. '

By-this ttme Frederick had returned into Italy:
butwhilft he was making preparations to fe^ew th€
war againft the Pope, all his-Glergy and Barons threat-*
cncd to abandon him if he did not reconcile himfelf ta
the€hurch : fo that he was forced to go and mfakfe hH
fubmiffion to the Pope at Veniée, where they wererè-^
conciled f . But, by an article 'of this accommbda«>
tion^ his'Holinefs obliged the Emperoi^ to^ive* up ail
the authority^ that be had at Rome, and infifted*u{K>it

• Still mott^httmWs and rldkulout wat . the pottaiice or ciu^iprm
flounced upon Sir William Tr;>cfy, who was faid to be. the moftacr
tive of thofe that were concerned in this murder. He arid 'all i{\i
poftcrity yftré fetit«nced ** to have the wind always in their faces,
yiiiether they travelled by land or water> A woeful curfe indeed, ii
It had been eiFe^ual ! From this fcrap of a Legend aroiè the old
foolifh proverby •

^ -jTr I , ■■ 1 *^ Tfa<TrjK:eyg , ;

Have always the wind in their faces,'*

f The haughty Pope fet his foot upon his neck, with this exprei-
iion : ** Super àfpìdem & bafilifcum anabulabo/' &c. « I will tread

ra the lion and addeo, the young. lio9*acd the dragon will I tr^p^
^ under my feet." Pfal. xci. 13, The Emperor replying, «* That
power was given to Peter only j" he rejoined, " Et roihi & Petrp 5*'
«« It was given to me and Peter too.'* Afterwards in his troubles»
Emanuel, Emperor of Conftantlnople» fent to offer him affiHance»
provided he would confcnt to the rc-unfon of the Eaftern and Wef-
tern Empires; to which the Pope anfwered, " That he could not
^nfent to unite, what his predéceifors had taken fo much pains t^
divide," Baronius endeavoursto pjrof e tlitfe ftorics fabulous.

.1 having

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4^ T H E H I a T O R y^ Bpolf, %^

J^^viog.his aljy and cogfedec^itc, William^ King c^,
SipiJ^y an<^ PMglw» incl«ded ia the agreement. Aft^r.
v(jbisK Frederic^,, whp was a warliije Prinze* ^ndt
hat§4 V ip^iv^ life, embarl^ed in the e3!4)editioi^'
^Afykj, to v^at his fpirit uppn the Turks» when hft
%y He ^owld not reveng? hifmfclf upon, the Pope.^
j^ \i^heji bj? had got as far as the baaks of die Cpid*
9H^, z rivjcr in Cilicia, being tempted by the clear-
Ref$. pf iiis ftresfois,^ he ?ould not refift the pleaC^rc.
i^ b^tjfiipg in them f, by wUch h? coajHradted fvu:^ a
^yji^/djiMf, ^9fi he^icd of iij. An ^den^ that.^as o€
f^t ferviice tio tl^ N^ahoo^et^os, tha^ 4I the Ìì^<;)pc\
^I^CQPMIPVAM^^cìpnjs; had been to.theChriftia^ : %'th^
l^il&ijer p^ litis ^fnk4t\oa, bijt ^hi^' fnjirc^ «•

linguiflied ir«

: .After t^ 4^tb pf Frederick, tjjie jpppe had no-
fl^pg to ftrwggle with but tb^ rnvft^^je obfti^^f^yt of
cImp R{9mal>&^ ^n^ after long difputes abput the cre^
|ipA of QcHifulis^ it W4S SK laft agree^^ that, ^^cord-
)9g to agd^i^i^ cu^om, t^y Ù^ould hàvf thip: privrjegiq
of qkvd^ng tiie^j l?ut tl>a| tl^ flu^kl AOf W*r VP?
OSI elisir Oj^ce fili they h^4 fv^orn o||)edie<ice to, ^h^
(^iHfGh., yppft thist ^ref m?nt, JqJm tb? Antip^pf
$^ XQ MoBf Albapp,. Mfhfxc hp^ ^icd ^i^ «ftcr.- ii|
the*niean time William, King of Naples, died alfo :
«nd^ he left noTons but Tancredi who was iltegtti"**
mate, the Pope dcfigned to have fci^c^ uppp hi^
ku}gdom. The Baro«s, ip]w»ver, wiPttld ^Pt confcnf
to that, but made Tancred their .K;ing. Celeft(ne ^hc
Third fucceeding to the Papacy, ana being dclirpu?
to wreft that Kingdom out iof the hands of Tancred,
ifndeayour.ed tq getj^enrv, who.wasi fon tp Frederick,
s;ÌKÌ|fp^ ^^peror, an4 allffl^ ^an thp Kipg^

^pm of Napksj upon cp^iùpa tli^t he ihould te«*

I ftore

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Ilopk Is 9 F F L Oi R E N e ?. 41

ih^« fuch landa 9$ bicelpAged €0 tfte Cl^urc^ Aa4 tq
feciUtwf the ip«i<cr, be took Copftawja,, £in PiWi nr^i^
(d*wghwr to William th? im King) Oiut of a Nu^-,
a€u*x^ a^d gAVQ him h«r tp wife: aqd in this marnai;
\ht, Kingdora ot Naples paflfed from the Normans^
vbo had beeo the founders of it, yo the Germans» '
Henrjr the Emj^or> having f^t^led his affair? ii^
Ger^nany came into Italy with his wife Cpa^antian*
and a Son aboyt four years old» whofe naine wasFre-^
derick, and withpui much ^ifficwlity topk pofleflj^
pf that Kingdom; a^. Tancred.was. npw. dead and ha4
left but one Son, nsamed Roge^ who ^9^ aa W^VH^
Not long after, Henry died in Si^ilyv a^d was f«ch
fcedect in that kingdonsi by FredeftclR: an4 Otho,
Puke 0f SaxQfjy, was chofen Emperor by the w)^yh
en^e of Innocent the Second. Qowevef, he had t^q
fopnei: got th« tofierial Ciown upon fei^ fcead, but he
^9^ OM with tf>^ Pope» eoncrary ta the ojcpeftation o^
aU mm^f feis^. upoii Ij^magna^ and w%i prepa^-'^g tc^
I iairade Sici|.y : upon which, beieg ev.c(;>mmuni^ate4
by the Pope* he was defected by everx ope» and ^v^
4efiick I^ing ^ Naples chofen Emperor: Ì9i Kis i^eadr
This Frederick came V Rome to be cfown^ therc^
bk|£ the Pope being jealous of his power, refufed it.
zi^ endeavomed to thruft him out of Italy» as hq
1^ done Qi;ho : at which, Frederick beipg much; o£t
im^$ w«)t into Germany, raifed w acmy, ipadf
war vfK>a Otho, and at Uft «^vei^aqie hi^.

Itn the m^p time Inoocent died^ who, b^fides h'^
otHer nwgnififlwi works, built the Hgfpital d» Saj^m
Spirito. ^t 1^09^. He waa fqceeeded by Honpriw
^ Third : in whofe Pontificate, the Orders pf S^

A Popnimek and St. Frauds were i«ftituted, about tl^f
C^ year i9a% Thia Pope ewwn»d Frederick^ t^ whom

,^/J^hn (dcicendcd from Baldwin, King of Jerufdcm,
^ho ccttpmanded (he remainder of the Chriftians in
Afia, V^d ftill retained th^t title) ^^;s(c one of hli
daogh^s m niarriagc, and the titk of thai Kingdwn
ia dower with lier, which the Icings of Naples hav^
borne ever fince. Italy was then circunUtanced in

this

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vTl

44^ t tìÈ :H'rs ton ^ Éookt:

this manner. The Romans no longer appointed Con-
suls, but invefted fometimcs one, fometimcs more of
the Senators with the fame authority. The confede-
racy ftill fubfifted. Into which the following cities of
Lombiardy had enteped againft Frederick Barbarofla,'
namely, Milan, Brefcia, and Mantua, with moft of
rhofe in Romagna, befides Verona, Vicenza, Padua,
and Trevigi, The cities that took part with the Km-
perOr, were Cremotia, Bergamo, Parma, Reggio,^
Modena, artd Trema. The other cities and fortreflfes^
of Lonibardy, Romania, and the Marca Trevigiana,
fidcd fometimes with one party, and fometimes with
the other, as it bcft futted their intereft*
< In the reign of Otho the Third, one Eielino came
to fettle in Itaty. This man's grandfon, whofc name
teas likewife Ezclino, becoming very rich and power**
^1, joined the party of Frederick, in oppofilioii to
the Pope : and it was by his inftigation and affiftance,-
that Frederick invaded Italy, took Verona and Man-
tUa, difmantled Vicenza, feized upon Padua, defeat-
ed the army of the Confederates, and advanced to-
wards Tufcany ; during which- time EzelinO madé^
himfelf mafter of la Marta Trevigiana,* But they
could not take Ferrara, as !t w^s defended by Aikéne
è^ Efte, and fome forces which thePope had in Loni-
bardy : iti rccohipence for which^ fervice, as Iboft' as^
^hefiege. was raife<i, bis Holineft gaVe that City'iii:
fee to the faid Azzòne, from= yvhom^ihòfe are de^
fténded that are Lords of it at^is?Jay^.-^ After
Étìis, Frederick took up his head-quarters at pka;
being defirotjs to tìiàke hhtìfelfbafter of Tufcany :
tó'd by ,the diftinaidA-^whlèb he màde^ betWixt his
ftiénds and thofe €har'<^pofed him, he raiftd -fócb
aifcords and àniitìoÌ!tfes'am<)ngft 'them as aftórwàrdi

; . r# This fief rctuità! tbdhcGbardi in th^.^lhé of Henry |V. KÌm
jr^France, wha^ryeftore^it^^o Qei^acntjViq^ ^pn;the death o£ A^-
phònfoll. Duke oETertoa; iai59^, witlioutTiWaf ' male ;' 'ftougli lì
«WWaiined ftjFURelDifltórH^Modehà, a terrìtt^ìthìit wàV crdJfe*
•tóf ;à PukedQift ya \^r^^^r Fr^^riek Hj^. i^;,.in ^your of
Bdrfo d'EItf, w^.qfe:fariHlyJi^v§ b>cn in fiolTcffioa otfuver fince.

2'^-^ proved

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Book J. Of FLORENCyE, ♦ji

proved the ruin of all Italy : for the qivo faiSbions of
Guelphs and Ghibelines increafcd every day, the for*
nicr tiding with the Church, the other with the Empet
ror, and were firft called by thofe names at the City
of Piftoia. When Frederick left Pifa, he made (uck
terrible havock and devaftation in the territories of the
Church, that the Pope, having no other remedy,
proclaimed a Crufade againft him, as his predeceflbri
Lad done againft the Saracens : and Frederick, for
fear of being left deftitute, and fuddenly deferred by
his own forces, as Barbarcffa and other former Em-
perors had been upon the like e;mergenciés, took a
large tody of Saracens into his pay, and to attach
them more firmly tp him, .and ftrengthen his joppor
fition to the Pope in Italy, by troops that defpifed his
inaledi£):ions, he gave them Nocera, that fo whea
they faw they had a place of their own whither they
xould retreat upon pccafion, they might ferve hia^
.with more confidence and fecurity.

.Innocent the fourth was now made Pope j who bei-
ing afraid of Frederick, retired to Genoa, and from
:thence into France, where he affcmUed a Council at
Lyons, at which Frederick defigncd to have beco
prf fent himfclf, if he had not been prevented W a re-
bellion that broke out in Parma : and, not fuccced-
ing in his attempts to fupprcfs it, he marched away
into Tufc^ny, and from thence tranfported hicpfelf
into Sicily, where he died not long after, leaving his
own fon Conrade in Suabia, and Manfred his na-
tural fon in Puglia, whom he had before made Duke
of Benevento. ^ But Conrade coming to take polTef-
fion of the Kingdom, was feized with an illnefs at
Naples and died there, leaving only one fon behind
him in Germany, whofe name was Conradine. Man-
fred therefore in the firft place, took the government
of the Kingdom upon him, as guardian to Conradine,
during his minority ^ and afterwards giving out that
. the young Prince was dead, made himfclf King, and
• forced the Pope and the Neapolitans, who oppofed it,
to acknowledge him.

-' -Z ' During

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4« T tì E tì i à T Ó R Y Book 1-

During thefc difturbancw lA that KiiTgdom, thcrt
Kktwife arofò great commotiom and diflenfions m
Lombardy, betwiict the Guclphs and the Ghibclmcs
4!h«t. The Guelphs were headed by a Legate from thè

' Pope ; and the Ghibelincs by Ezelino, who had got
poireffion of altnòft all that part of Lombardy, which
lies on the other fide of the Po. And as the City of
Padua had revolted whilft -he was en^ged in this
war, he caufetì twelve thoufand of the Paduans to be
put to death, but difed himfelf before the war was
ended, in the thirtieth year of his age : after which^
all the territories that had been in his hands reco-
vered their liberty *. Manfred King of Naples,
lioweVer, continued at enmity with the Church, afe
his predeceflbrs had done, and kept Urban the fourth,
who then filled the Pontifical chair, in fuch conrinual

• alarm, that he was obliged to fòt up another Cru-
%dc, and to retire to Perugia, till he could aflemble
his forces. But finding that few came in and very
ilowly, and that more powerful fupplles were nc-
treflary to reduce him to reafdn, he applied to
Lewis f King of France for afliftance, (whofc bro-
ther, Chartes of Anjou, he made King of Naples
and Sicily) and exhorted him to come intQ Italy to '
*tafce poflfeffion of that Kingdom. But the Pope died
"before the arrivial of that Prince at Rome, and was
ftìcceeded by Clement the fourth ; in whofc time
'Chartes'tame to Oftta with thirty gallies, having ap-
pointed the reft of his forces to march thither by
land. During the ftay that he made at Rome, the
Homans, cut of compliment, conferred the fenatoriàl

* PftUlis Jbvkié (^yis, it» his Blog ies» he wai óiìeì>f the meft h^rbk"
Xova Tyrants that ever lived, killing man, woman, or child, updn
the leaift offence, and fontjetimes without any at all. The punifli*
mcnts artdtortùit» he invented, ivere fuch as had never been heard
of before. !/kf^r he had exercifed every kind of craehy upon^nuui-
Jcind, for the fpace of forty years, he was wounded and taken pri-
fòn'er by the cònfiJderàted Prirtcps of Lombardy, in attempting to
' khd^ce himi^f hiafter of Milan : and being carried to Sondno, heSiéd
flhld there in i»^^} fo that ]ae muft have lived much longer than Ma» t
chiavel (kys he did.

t Lewis IX, commonly called St. l^ewir*

2 Dig-i

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Bodkl © ^ ^ L O R E N C fc i(7

Bighfty upon him, and the Pope confirtned him iti
his Kingdom, on cohdlrion that he ihotild yearly
pay the Turn of fifty thoufand tìórlns to the Church:
but at the fame time publifhed a Decree that neidb^f
Cbarlcfs, hot any other that (hould foccceci him in
that Kingdom, Ihould be capable of being Emperor.
After which, Charles advanced againft Manfred,
whom he routed arid killed near Benevento, and
took poffefliott of the Kingdom of Naples and Sicily.
But Conrad irte, to whom that Kingdom of right be-
longed, by his father's will, hàvirìg raifed a good
body of forcres in Germatiy, marched into Italy agairtft
Charles, by whom he was engaged at T^gìì^ùzzo^
and riot only defeated^ but taken, and afterwards
killed, as he was endeavouring to make his cfcàpò
ki difouife.
ISftcrlfife,* Italy continued m peace till the Panti^
rate of Adrian the Fifth, who not being able to
bear that Charles fhóuld continue at Rome, and rute
every thing there, as he did, by virtue of his Senatòr-
ftlp, rerttoved to Viterbo, and foUicited Rod'olpht»
the Emperor to march into Italy againft him. In thii
bianner, the Popes, fonietimes in defence of Reli-
gion, fometimles to gratify their own private intereft
and ambition, were continually calling foreign Princéi
into Italy, to foment new \(rars t and no fooner had
they exalted one of them, but they immediately re-
pented of what they had done, arid endtaVouttd to
pull him down again : nor would they fuffer that pro-
vince, which yet they were not able 'to fubdue theft»-
fel^s, to be quietly enjoyed by any body elfe. S6
^that thfe Princes df it Were jn continual dread of them,
efpeclaily as the Popes always got the better of them,
either by forte or fraud, if they v^ere.not out-fchemed,
as •Boniface the eighth, and fome others of them,
wetè by the Eriiperofs, under the màflc of friendlhip.
Rodolphus being detained by a war, that he wats
iewgàged in with the Kihg of Bohemia^ was not it
leifure to come into Italy, tUl after the death of Adria»,
'whofc fdcceflbr in the Papacy was Nicholas III. of

the

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48 T H E^ H IS t O » Y Book I.

the fomily of Urfioi, a bqld and anjbitious jnan* andr
determined at all events to humble the power o£
Charles : for which purpofe,^ he contrived^ that Ro-
dolphus the Emperor ftiould complain of Charles for
keeping a governor in Tufcany, who iided with, and
Supported the faftion of, the Guelphs in that pro-.
vince, where they had been re-eftabliftied by him af-
icr the death of Manfred, To oblige the Emperor ^
therefore, Charles recalled that governor, and the
Pòpe fent one of his Nephews, who was a Cardinal^
so take pofleffioh of it for the Emperof : in return
for which favour, the Emperor reftored Romagna to
the Church, wJiich had been taken from it by his
Predeceflbrs -, and the Pope made Bertoldo Urfini,
Puke of Romagna. And now thinking himfelf
ftrong enough to cope with Charles, he degraded
I^iip from Ji4S-S<:natorial dignity, and made a Decree,
jhat for the future,, no perfon of royal extraftioa
ihould ever be a Senator of Rome. He likewife
formicd a fecret defign, ^in concert witli Peter, King
of Arragon, to deprive Charles of Sicily ; which .a£^ '
lerwards .took cfFeft in the time of his fucceflbr. He
farther intended to have made two Kings, of his own
family ; one of Lombardy, the other of Tufcany ; by
whofe power and afliftancc the Church might prevent
any more Germans from coming into Italy, and de-
fend itfelf againft the French that were already fet-
tled ia the Kingdom of Naples, But he died before
thefe ends could be accomplilhed, and was the firft
Pope that openly avowed his ambition, and (hewed
that under a pretence of advancing the interefts of
the Church, he only defigned to aggrandize his owa
family. And though no mention is made of the Pope's
Nephews, or other relations before this tin>e, yctfuc-
ceeding hiftory is full of them, and we muft confidei*
them henceforth as their fpns : for as the Pontifs for-
merly endeavoured to leave them Princes, they would '
now leave* them Popes, if they <pould, and make thp
Papacy hereditary. But the principalities which they
have hitherto ereótcd, have been of ihort duration :

for

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Boole L OF FLORENCE. 49

for as the Popes are commonly old men befdre their
exaltation, and feldom live long after it, the ftates
which theyibund have not fufEcient time to'eftablifli
themfelves, and therefore are blown down by the
firft guft of wind, for wane of ftrength and authority
to fuppòrt them.

This Pope was fuccecded by Martin the Fourth,
who being a Frenchman born, favoured the party of
Charles in fuch a manner, that Charles fcnt an army
to his afliftance in Romagna, which had rebelled:
but as he lay encamped before Forii, Guido Bonatti,
an aftrologer, who was then in the town, advifed
the Garrifon to make a fally at a particular hour ap-
pointed by him, which fucceeded fo well, that all
the French forces were either taken or killed. About
this time, the defigns that had been formed by Pope
Nicholas, and Peter King of Arragon, were put in
execution : in confequence of which, the Sicilians ♦

• Moft writers agree, that Nicholas III. died of an apoplexy at Su-
tri, two years before this event happened. Platina, Du Cheine, Bzo-
vius, who continued the Annals of Baronius down to his own time*
Kaynald. in Annal. Ludovic. Jacob. Bibliothec. Pontific. Voltaire
fays in his General Hiftory of Europe, Vol. I. p. 313. « It is the ge-
nei*al opinion, that a Sicilian Gentleman, whofe name was John of
Procida, difguifed in the habit of a Francifcan Friar, laid that fa^
mous confpiracy, by which every Frenchman in the ifland was to be
mafl^cred at the fame hour in the evening of Eafter Sunday laSst
upon ringing the bell for Vefpers. It is certain, that this John of
Procida had prepared the minds of the people in Sicily for a revo-
lution ; that he had been negotiating at Conftantinople, and in the
kingdom of Arragon ; and that Peter, King of Arragon, Manfred's
fon m law, had entered into an alliance with the Grecian Emperor
^^vft, Charles of Anjou : but it is not at all probable that the Sici«
Uan Vefpers (as that Maflacre was afterwards called) was a preme-
ditated confpiracy. If there had been any plot formed, it muft have
been put in execution chiefly in the kingdom of Naples; and yet not
one Frenchman was killed there. MaUfpina relates, that a French-
man, whofe Name was Droguet, was attempting to raviih a womaa
at Palermo, at the very time when the people were going to Vefpers t
the woman cried out $ the people flocked to her adiftance, and killed*
the Frenchman. The firft emotion of private revenge awakened the
. general hatred, and the Sicilians, excited by John of Procida, cried
out to extirpate the enemy : upon which, they put every Frenchman
they found in Palermo to the fword. The fury, which. poiTefled the
breaft of every native, produced the forae effe^^^tfaroughout the whole
Jiland. It is laid» tbe^ ripped open the belHes of pregnant women»
and plucked out tàe KStus as yet unformed | and that the very re*

Vol, !• E maft

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^Q T H E H I S T O R Y Book h

^naflacred all the^ French in that Iflandj and Peter
made himfclìF mafter of it, under a pretiencc that i%
belonged to him, in right of his wife Cqnftantia, a^
daughter of Manfred. Soon after, Charles died
V'hilft he was carrying on a new war for the recovery,
of it, leaving his fon Charles the Second,, in Sicily,
where he had been taken prifpner during tlje coytfc
9f that war, but was fet at liberty upQn his parple,
that he would return to his confinement there at the
expiration of three years, if he did not, before th^t
time, prevail upon the Pope to confimi the Kingdom^
of Sicily to the Houfe of Arragon. Rodolphus the
Emperor, inftead of (roining into Italy bimfelf, to re-
trieve jhe reputation of the Imperial ^rms, fcnt a
commiflary thither» with full po^er to emancipates
fuch cities as, would buy their freedpn) : upon wbicl>
ipany cities ranfomcd themfelves, ancj changed thipir
l^ws and form of g9vernmejit, when they h^cl rg^
gained their liberty.

.'After this, Adolphus, Duke of Saxony, fuccecdecj
to the Kmpire, and Pietro del Murone (who aflumed
the name of Celeftine) to the Papacy : but as he
had beeji a Hermit, and was wholly given up to de-
votion, he abdicated the Pontificate at the end of
fix months, and Boniface VIII. was elcéled in his
room. But Heaven ordaining that Italy fhould one.
d^y be delivered from the yoke, both of the French
and the Germans, and left entirely in' the hands of
her own fons, gracioufly raifcd up the Colonni and[
Urfini, two great and very powerful families in
Romcj to bridle the Popes, and keep them within

l^iou€ tjremfelve» murdered their feinale penitent* of the French
fiction. It is iikewife afHrmed, that only one Gentleman, a Pro*
yen^al» whofe name was Des PorceUets, eicaped the general flaugh ter.
^njd yet it is very -certain, that the govemof of- Memna, with an hit
garriion, withdrew from the Idand into the kingdom of Naples.*^
( It would be no unpleafant amufement to compare thofe partu of
Voltaire's General Hiftorythat relate to theaffiurs of Italy, witfh'thit
^r^ hoqk o^ the HJftory of Florence, wbich Is cmly to be coniidsrecl
as a fummary account. He illuminates thofe dark times, which are
the fubjeca <>t it, with maoy ftriking remarks aod òbfervations, in his
ùiual jijurmcr» .. . . = «

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Jlo(Jk I; OFPLORENCE. 5«

due bounds by their authority and near neighbour-
bood, and to prevent them, when freed from the ter-
ror of foreign enemies, from ettablilhing themfclvcs
in the power they ufurped, Boniface, therefore, who
was foon fcnfible of this thorn in his fide, applied
himfelf with great zeal and diligence to fupprefs the
Colonni, firft eiccommunicating, and then proclaim-
ing a Crufade againft them, which indeed did them •
fome injury, but was much more prejudicial to the
Church: for thofe fwords which had been drawn to
maintain and defend the chriftian faith, and had done
great ^nd h6tK)urable fervice, foon loft their edge and
became ufelcfs, when they were turned againft Chrif-
• tians, only to fatiate private intereft and ambition :
fo that by degrees, the Popes vrere left weak and del
fcncelefs. Two of the Colonni, who were Cardinals,
be degraded : and Sciarra, the head of that family^
flying from his fury in difguife, was taken 1)y Catalan
Coruirs, and forced to row in their Gallies like a
common flave-, but being known at Marfeilles, he
was ranfomed and fent- away to Philip, King of
Fraace, whom Boniface had excommunicated and
deprived of his Kingdom. Upon this, Philip con-
fidering that in all open wars with the Popes, he had
roiiftafitly been a lofer, and often in great danger of
being utterly ruined, pow refolved to proceed m an-
other manner, and to have recourfe to ttrata^^em. la
confequcnce pf which, he pretended to fubmir, and
eatercd into a treaty of reconciliation with the Pope:
but whilft it was carrying on, he privately fent Sciarra
into Italy, who arriving at Anagni (where the Pope
then refided) gathered his friends together in the
Bight, fci?ed\3pon his Holinefs's f^rfon, and made
him prifoncr. And though he was fet at liberty again
by the people of that town, yet fuch was his rage and
indignation at this difgrace, that he died diftrafted
ioon after. This Boniface inftitutcd the firft Jubilee
in dxe year 1300, aiwi made a Detree that it (hould
be celebrated every hundred years *.

• It is faid .^f Rwiface. Vm. tliat, he entered the Pontificafe like a
/<?^ rt igned like a Lion, and dkd like a Dog, asCeleftinc V. hispre-

. E 2 la

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52 T H E H I S T O R Y Book L

. In thefc times, the difcords between the Guclph
and Ghibcline faftions produced great troubles in
Italy \ which being abandoned by the» Emperors,
many States recovered their liberties, whilft others^
on the contrary, were feized upon, and ufurped by
different matters. Pope Benedict XI. reftored the

deceflbr, had prophcfied. He pcrfuaded Celeftine, that he would
certainly be damned if he did not rcfign the Papacy to fome perfon
more capable of ffoverniiig the church than himfelf. Upon which
Celeftine abdicated, and Benedir Caietano (as this Pontif was be-
fore called) having got himfelf elected Pope, immediately fent Ce-
leftine to prifon, where he died. Platina fays, that befides his own
perfuafions, he bribed a perfon to fpeak thus to him through a hole
in the wall of his Oratory; bv means of a hollow cane, " CeleiHne»
Celeftine, dimitte Papatum, (i vis falvus fieri : negotium fupra vires
eft," i.e. " Celeftine, Celeftine, refign the Papacy, if thou haft any
regard for thy falvation f the^burden i^ too heavy for thee ;*' which
(he fmiple good man, taking it for a voice from Heaven^ immedi-
ately obeyed and abdicated.

He provoked Philip the Fair, of France, to fnch a degree, by bis
haughty and infolent behaviour, that he refolved to <;ompel him by
force to appear before a council which he defigned to aftemble at,Ly-
onè } and for thatf^urpofe, fent Sciarra Colonni into Italy, with Wil-
liam Nogaret his ccnfìdant, and one of his generals j who havinsr
treated with the Ghibelines, entered Anagni, where he then was, and
took him. Hoffman fays, that in a fynod and parliament, called by
Philip, he was accufed of Simony, Murder, Ulury, Atheifm, Adul-
tery, and underhand treaties with the Saragsns. When he was taken '
by Nogaret, the French general, who threatened to carry him to
Lyons, where he (hould be degraded by the council : he laid, *« he
.was not to be frightened at the threats of a Paterin." Upon whicb^
the fliid general ftruck him on the face with his gauntlet, and taking
him by the neck, forced him to Fome, where he died foon after,
frantick, and gnawing his flefti oft^ his bands with his teeth. Span-
heim adds, that when his Bull arrived in France, in which he aflerted,
that he was fupreme Lord in all temporal, as well as fpiritual con-
cerns, and that Philip held his kingdom of him ; the fame was pub*
lickly burnt by order of the Parliament of Paris, and by the aifembly
cf the States of the Kingdom that fame year, who vehemently pro-
.tefted againft the Papal ufurpations and encroachments in the refer-
vation and collation of Benefices, taxing the Clergy, &c. and that
the king wrote thus to htm, in'anfwer to his Letter: " Philippus
Dei gratia Francorum Rex, Bonifacio fe gerenti pro fummo Pontihce,
(alutem modicam feu nullam. Sciat maxima tua Fatuitas, in Tem-
poralibus nos alieni non lubefTe, Ecclefiarum 8c Prsbendarum Colla*
tionem ad nos jure regio pertineie, &c. fecus autem credentes fatuos
& dementes rcputamus.** i.e. " Philip, by the Grace of God, King
of France, to Boniface, the pretended Pope, little or no greeting.
Beit known unto your Fool iflinefs, that we are fubjeft to none in
.Temporals, and that the Collation to Churches and Prebends belongs
to us alone by bur royal prerogative j and thofe who think othcrwife,
we account fools and madmen, &c." This Pope was a man of learn-
ing, and publi&ed many works^ which aie ftiii extant. «.

Houfc

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Book L O F F L O R E N C e; 53

Houfe of Colonni to their former dignity, and not only
abfolved King Philip, but gave him his bleffing. He
was fucceeded in the Papal Chair by Clement V- who
being a Frenchman; removed his Court into France,
in the year ij06^. In the mean time, Charles the
Second, King of Naplrs, was dead, and had left the
Kingdom to his fon Robert. The Empire alfo was
devolved to Henry of I uxembourg, who came to
Rome to be crowned, though the Pope was not there.
Upon his arrival, many commotions cnfued in Lom-
bardy : for all the baniflied perfons, whethcrr Guelphs
or Ghibelines, were returned to their former habita-
tions, and daily confpiring to fupprefs each other ;
which filled all that province with tumult and diffrac-
tion, notwithftanding the emperor ufcd his utmoft ert-
deavours to prevent it.

Removing therefore out of Lombardy» by way of
Genoa, he came to Pifa, with a dcfign to have driven
King Robeft out of Tufcany ; but not fucceeding in
that, he went to Rome, where he ftaid but a few
days : for the Urfini, with the affiftance of King Ro-
bert, forced him to return to Pifa ; where, in order
to make war with greater fecurity and convenience
upon Tufcany, and to wreft the government of it
out of Robert's hands, he caufed it to be invaded
on the other fide by Frederick, King of Sicily, But

• At the coronation of this Pontif. in the Church of St. Juftus at
Lyons, November 14, 1305, where Philip the Fair, Charles of Valois
his brother, and fevcral other Princes aflifteH, a Gallery that was
overloaded with fpeólators, broke down, an<l killed John II. Duke of
Bretagire, Gaillard (the Pope's brother) and many others : the King
and his brother likewife were miich hurt j ^he tiara fell from de-
mentis head j and a jewel of great price was loft out of it 5 from
whence the omen-dealers of thofe times, formed a fad prefage, as it
is (aid, of the misfortunes that befel Iraly in his reign by the civil
wa/'s, occafioned by his removing the See to Avignon, where it re-
mained feventy years ; a period called by the Italians^ «* the Captivity
of Babylon." Foflevin. Genebrard.

Juft fuch another prefage was formed by fome Englifh Seers, when
our King Charles the Firtt's ftandard was blown down at Notting-
ham, and the head of his cane fell off at his trial.«— Sad prefagcs in-
deed, and fad pi-efagers ! yet thefe circumftances, trivial as they are,
have not been thought unworthy of relation by fome of oar hifta-
rians of the firft rank.

E 3 in

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54 T^H E HISTORY Book I.

in the midft of thefe defigns, artd at a time when be
had the greateft hopes of fùccefs, he fuddehly died,,
and was fuceeeded in the epipirc by Lewis of Bavaria.
About this time, John the Twenty-fecond * was
created Pope, in ,whofe Pontificate the Emperor car-
ried on ,a continual perfecution againft the Guelphs
and the Church : but King Robert and the Floren-
tines interpofing in their defence, great wars enfucd
in Lombardy, under the conduft of the Vifconti,
againft the Guelphs ; and under that of Caftruccio
Caftracini, of Lucca, againft the Florentines in Tof-
cany. And as the family of the Vifconti were the*
founders of the Dukedom of Milan, which was af-
terwards one of the five principal States in Italy^ it
may not be amils perhaps to trace their original a lit*
tie higher.

After the aforementioned confederacy amongft the
cities of Lombardy, for their common defence
againft Frederick Barbaroffa, Milan riftng again out
Q? its ruins, likcwife entered into that league, to take
revenge for the injuries it had fuftained : which put
a flop to the Emperor's career, and for a while fup-
ported* the Pope's party in Lombardy. In the courfc
of thofe wars, the family of the Torri grew very pow-

* After the death of Clement V. the See continued vacant above twa
years : for the Cardinals, aflembled at Carpentras, could not agree in
the choice of a new Pope. Philip the Long, therefore, J^arl of Poic-
tkrs, and afterwards King of France, by order of his brother Lewis
X. went to Lyons, to get the Chair filled if poilSble : for which pur-
pofe, after he had ufed ail the art and addrefs he was matter of, with
the Cardinals there, he at laft ftiut them up in a convent of the Ja-
cobines, and protefted he would never let them out till they had cho-
*fen a Pope. At the end of forty days, they began to be io tired of
their confinement, that they agreed to leave the choice to Cardinal
lanSes d'Ofia, Bifliop of Port, who immediately (aid, *< Ego fom
Papa J** '^ then TU be your Pope ;'* to the general fatkf^£tion of all
the reft. He was a native of Cahors in Querci, and fon of Arnaud
d^Oflji, a poor Shoemaker 5 but a man well learned for thofe times,
especially Tn the Civil and Canon Law. It is faid, he left twenty*^
(sight millions of Ducats, and fevcnteen hundred thoufand Florins
of gold in the treafury of the Church» when he died. He publiflied"
pn Edift in IJ22, wherein he declared all thofe obftinate Hcreticks,
who affirmed, ** that Cbritt and bis Difciples had nothing which they
fould call their own j and forbad ^1 difj^i^tes upoi) liiat point in th^
ilphools.'' N^u?lerus. Pu Chefuf .

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Book I. OF FLORENCE. 55

crful, increafing their reputation more and more
every day, whiJft the authority of the Emperors was
of no great weight in thofe parts. But Frederick the
Second coming mto Italy, and the Ghibeline faftion
being reinforced by the affiftance of E?elino, began
to gain ground in all the cities, and particularly at
Milan, where the Houfe of Vifconti fiding with that
.party, drove the Torri out of that city. But they did
not long continute in that condition ; for by an agree-
tfCitnt made betwixt the Emperor and the Pope, they
^ere fuffer'ed to retura thither: And afterwards,
when the Pope was renioved with his court into
France, and Henry of Luxembourg came to Rome to
be crowned, he was received into Milan by Maffeo
Vifconti and- Guido della Torre, who at that time
were the heads of thofe two families.

Notwithftanding this, Maffeo fecretly defigned to
avail himfelf of the Emperor's prefcnce to drive Guido
out of the City once more, which he thought wouldL
be no difficult matter, as he was an enemy to the Im-.
perial faftion : for which purpofe he took advantagq
of the murmdrs and complaints of the People againft
the infolent behaviour of the Germans, privately en-
couraging and perfuading them to take up arms and
free themfelves from the yoke of thofe Barbarians.
After he had difpofed things in a proper manner for
the execution of his defign, he caufed a tumult to be
raifed by one of his confidants : upon which, the
whole town was immediately in an uproar againft the
Germans. And no fooner was the tumult begun^
but Maffeo, with his fons, fervants, and partifans
were in arms, and ran to thè Emperor, affuringhim
it was raifed by the Torri, who, not content to livd
in a private condition, fomented tHefe infurredions,
Jn order to wreft the city of Milan out of his hands,
by which they thought to ingratiate themfelves with
the Guelphs, and fo become Princes of it : exhort-
ing him at the fame time, however, to be of good
courage, for they and their fridnds were both able
and ready to defend him at all events, provided he

E 4 was

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56 T H E HISTORY Book I.

was not wanting to himfclf. The Emperor believing
every thing to be true that MafFpo had infinuated,
imnfiediately joined his forces with thofe of the Vif-
conti, and fell upon the Torri, who were difperfed
up and down the city to compofe the tumult : and
having killed fuch of them as fell into their hands,
they banifhed the reft and fcized upon their eftates.
So that Maffeo Vifconti having by thefe means made
himfelf, as it were. Prince of Milan, was fuccceded
m the government of it by Galeazzo and Azzo; and
they by Luchino and Giovanni, the latter of whom
was afterwards Archbilhop of that city. Luchino
died firft and left two fons, Bernabò and Galeazzo.
Galeazzo dying not long after, left one fon named
Giovanni Galeazzo, commonly called the Count di
Virtù, who, after the death of the Archbilhop, treach-
erouQy murdered his uncle Bernabò,, made himfclf
fole Prince, and was the firft that took upon him the
title of Duke of Milan *. He left two fons, Philip
and Giovanni Maria Angeio, the latter of whom was
killed by the people of Milan : fo that the govern-
ment fell into the hands of Philip alone, and he dying
without male iffue, the Dukedom was transferred from
the Houfe of the Vifconti to that of the Sforza's ;
the manner and occafion of whiéh ftiall be more par-
ticularly related in its proper place. In the mean
time ^e muft refume the thread of our narration.

Lewis the Emperor came into Italy to encourage
his party and to receive the Crown : and wanting a
handle to extort money from the Milanefe, whilft he
was there, he pretended he would leave them to en-

• The archbifllop was much fuch another monfter as Ezelino, and
the Count was very little better ; yet he was called a Saint. Philip de
Coroines fays, Mem. !• vii. p. 451 That when he was at Pavia, the
Carthufians ftiewed him his body, at leaft his bones, dcpofited in a
place near the chancel, and higher than the chief altar in their Con-
vent, to which they went ud by a ladder ; and one of them calling
him Saint, he afked him foftly, why he gave him that title, finceiic
could fee the arms of leverai Cities painted round his tomb, that he
liad either ufiirped, or had no right to > in anfwer to which, the >
Friar whifpered in his ear, " in this country we give the title of
saint to ail from whom we receive any benefit.'*

joy

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Book I. O F F L O R E N C E. • 57

joy their former liberties, and aftually threw the
Vifconti into prifon. But afterwards, at the media-
tion of Caftruccio Caftracani of Lycca, he releaied
them, marched forwards to Rome, and made Pietro
della Corvara Antipope, (on purpofe to create frefti
troubles and difturbances in Italy) by whofe autho-
rity and the power of the Vifconti, he thought he
fhould be ftrong enough to humble his enemies both
in Tufcany and Lombardy. But the death of Ca-
ftruccio, which happened juft at that time, put an
end to his hopes, and gave a fatal turn to his affairs .
for Pifa and Lucca immediately rebelled upon it, and
the Pifans feizing upon the Antipope, fent him pri-
foner to the Pope in France : fo that the Emperor,
defpairing of his affairs in Italy, foon quitted it and
returned into Germany. He was hardly gone before
John, King of Bohemia, came into Italy with an
army, at the invitation of the Ghibelines of Brefcia,
and took pofTelTion both of that city and Bergamo.
The Pope (how well foevcr he difTembled it) was not
difpleafed at his coming, and therefore his Legate at
Bologna, privately favoured him, looking upon him
as a proper inflrumcnt to prevent the Emperor's re-
turn. Thefe proceedings entirely changed the condi-
tion and circumftances of Italy : for the Florentines
and King Robert, feeing that the Legate privately
abetted the attempts of the Ghibeline fadion, declared
themfelves enemies to all fuch as were favoured by
the Legate and the King of Bohemia : and many
Princes without regard to either faftion, aiTociated
themfelves with them, amongft whom were the fami-
lies of Vifconti and Scali ^, Philip Gonzaga of Man-?
tua, and thofe of Carrara and Efte ; for which the
Pope excommunicated them all, and the King being
terrified at this confederacy, went home again to

• Thefe Scali were Princes of Verona, and the anceftors of Jofeph
and Julius Caefar Scaliger, fo well known to the world for their great
erudition and many admirable works. Jofeph had a patent from the
French King, in which he is acknowledged the right heir to Julius»
and Julius owned a$ Prince of Verona.

raifc

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^ rftEUtstonr Book i:

raiffe more forces. But àt bis return into Italy with a
larger armfjr, be ftill found tbe enterprize fo difficult
that he abandoned it, and marched back into Bohe-
mia, though much to thcdrflàti^fadion of the Le-
gate^ kaving garrifons only in Reggio arid Modena,
aild recommending Parma to the care of Marfilio and
Pietrio dc Roffi, two of the moft powerful men in-
that city. As foon as he wats gone, Bologna likewife
ent€fred into the league, and the confederates divided
the four cities that ftill adhered to the Church amewglt-
themfelves : the Scali bad Parma, the Gotìiagi Reg-
gio, the Etti Modena, and Lucca fell to the Floren-
tines. But many differences enfucd upon this parti-
tion^ which, for the moft part, were afterwards eom-
^fed by the Venetians,

It may feem ftrange perhaps to fome, that amongft
sftt the other occurrences and revolutions which hap*
pened in Italy, I have not rtiade any mention of the
Venetians before, although their power and, rank*
j^lace them above any other republic or principality
in that country. But to put an end to theii? wonder,'
and to (hew my reafons for this omifTion, it is necef-
fory to look a good way back v that fo the origin, and:
foundation of that ftate may be the more clearly*
kMiwn to every one, and what were the motives that
fo long reftrained them from interfering in the affairs^
é( Italy.

Attila, Kin^ of the Huns, having laid fiege to?
Acfuileia, the inhabitants after an obftiftate defence,
feeing reduced to great diftrefs, and defpairing of re-
lief, abandoned the town, and removed with as many
of their effcds as they could, to fome uninhabited
fooks at the extremity of the Adriatic. The Pa-
dttans alfo, feeing the fire fo near them, and con-
6l\3ding, that after Aquileia was taken, the next vifit?
would be to them, carried away their moft v^iluable
gbods, together with their \vives, children, and old
men, to a place called* Rivo Alto upon the fame

' * That auarter of the city is ftill called Rialto, -where there is ono
of the finen arches in Europe thrown over the grand Canal.

coaft,

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Book L OF F-L O ft E N C E. 59

coaft» leaving the young men, and fuch as were fit to
bear arms, for the defendc of the city. The inhabit-
ants of Monfclide and the hills about it, being under
the fame apprehenfions, like wife retired to other lit-»
tie iflands in that fea. After Aquileia was taken,
and Padua, Monfelice, Vicenza, and Verona^ facked
and deftrbyed by Attila, the remainder of the Padu^
ans and -the molt confiderable of the reft fettkcTinf
the marfhes about Rivo Alto; and all the people
round that Province which was anciehtly called Ve-
netiaf, being driven out of their country by the
fame calamities, joined themfelves with them, forcecf
by neceffity to change their pleafant and fertile habi-
tations for rough and barren rocks, void of all com-
fort and convenience. However, as their numbcf
was large, and their territories but ftrait, they foon
made them not only habitable but delightful, and
framing wbolcfome laws and ordinances amongft
themfelves, lived fo happily and fecurcly, whilft the
reft of Italy was torn to pieces, that in a fhort time
they became very powerful and- refpeftable. For,
befkles the above mentioned inhabitants, many other
people rcforted to them from the cities of Lombardy,
who were driven away from thence by the inhumanity
of Clefi, King of the Lpmbards : by which they
grew fo ftrong, that when Pepin, King of France, at
the foUicitation of the Pope, undertook to drive the
Lombards out of Italy, it was ftipulated in the treaty
betwixt him and the eaftern Emperor, that the Duke
of Benevento and the Venetians fhould not be.fubjeét
either to one or the other, but fuffcred by both to en-
joy their liberties. Befides, as necefllty had fixed
their habitation aiTK)ngft the waters, and they had
not lands fufficient to fupply them with the conveni-
encies of Kfe, it forced them to have recourfe to na-
vigation for fubfiftence : by which they filled their
ciiy with fuch variety of merchandize from all parts:
of the world, that other people who had occafion for"

+ This country was formerly conquered, and fo oamed, by a pco«
j^^ wlio came from Venncs, in Brct3gnc#

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6o THEHISTORY Book L

it, repaired thither in great numbers to furnifli them-,
ftrlves. For many years therefore, they had no
thoughts of any further dominion than what might
ferve to facilitate and extend their commerce : for
which purpofe, they bought feyeral Ports ifa Greece
and Syria -, and the French often making ufc of their
(hipping to tranfport their forces into Afia, gave them
thg^and of Candia in return. In this manner» by
dl^rees, their name became formidable at fea, and
fo much refpe£bed at land, that in almoft all difputes
betwixt the neighbouring States, they were called in
as arbitrators : as it happened in the differences that
^rofc betwixt the Confederates about the towns that
were to be divided amongft them ; which being re-
ferred to the Venetians, Bergamo and Brefcia were
awarded to the Vifconti. But growing more ambi-
tious after a while, they firft feized upon Padua, Vi-
ccnza, Trevigi, and then upon Verona, Bergamo,
and Brefci,, befides nri^ny other cities in Romagna and
the Kingdom of Naples -, by which they became fo
confiderable, that not only the Italian Princes, but
thofc on the otlier fide the mountains grew jealous of
their power, and entered into a league againft them,
which in one day took from them all that they had
been many years in acquiring with infinite induftry
and expence. And though they have lately in our
times recovered part of their former dominions ; yet
as they have not likewife regained their ancient
power and reputation, they now lie at the mercy of
others : which indeed is the cafe at prefcnt of all the
Italian Princes.

The Pontifical chair was filled at this time by Be-
nedir the Twelfth, who looked upon Italy as. loft;
and being apprehenfive that Lewis the Emperor
would become abfolute matter of it, he refolved to
make all fuch his friends there as ufurped any territo-
ries that formerly were fubjeft to the Empire ; ima-
gining that the fear of being difpoffeffed of them by
the Emperor, would make them ready to join him
heartily in defending Italy. For this, purpofe, he

pub^

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Book I. O F F L O R E N C E. 6i

publifhed a Decree to confirm all the ufurped titles
and cftates in Lombardy to thofc that were then in
poffcffion of them : but before this grant had time to
operate, he died and was fucceeded by Clement the
Sixth. The Emperor therefore obferving how libc-^
rally the Pope had difpofed of the States that belong-
ed to the Empire, ;hat he might not be behind hand
with him in fuch fort of gcnerofity, lik'ewife gave
away all the States which had been ufurped from the
Church,* to be held of the Empire by the prefent
poflfeflbrs. By which donation. Galeotto Malatefta
and his ^brothers became Lords of Rimini, Fefaro,
and Fano ; Gentile da Varano, of Camerino -, Guido
da Polenta, of Ravenna -, Sinibaldo Ordclaffi, of Forlì
and Ccfena; Giovanni Manfredi, of Faenza-, Ludo-^
vico Alidofi of Imola; and many more» of other
places : fb that of; all the lands belonging to the
Church, there were hardly any left without a new
maflcr : which reduced the Church to the low condi-
tion it was in till the days of Alexander the Sixth,
who, in our times, drove the poftcrity of thofc in-
truders out of their poflcffions, to their utter ruin,
and rcftorcd it to its former fplendor and authority.

At the time of this donation, the Emperor was at
Trent, and gave out, that he would come into Italy ;
which was the occafion of great commotions in Lom-
bardy ; where the Vifconti made themfelves matters
of Parma, Not long after, Robert King of Naples
died, and left only two grand-daughters, (the chil-
dren of his fon, Charles, who died but a little while
before) the. eldeft of which, Giovanna, or Joan, ac-
cording to his will was to inherit the crown, on con-
dition that (be married Andrew his nephew, and fon
to the King of Hungary, which (he did : but they
did not live Ipng together, for (he put him to death,
and married Lewis, Prince of Taranto, who was alio
hercouftn. Upon which, Andrew's brother Lewis,
King of Hungary, came into Italy, with an army, to
revenge his death, and drove Giovanna and her huf-
band out of their Kingdom.

About

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^z THE HISTO R Y Book I.

Atcwt this time^ a very mcrooraWe event h4ppcn^4
^ H,oRie. One * Niccolo di Lorenzo, Ch^wi^ellor pf
the Q^pitol, turncd-the Senator's out of the city, an4
^gmisog the title of Tribune, made hirofelf iiead of
th4t; Commonwealth, and reduced ii: to its ancient
forj9 of government;, with fo much reptJtation an4
^pcaraflce of juftice, that not only the neighbouring
§iates, biJtall Italy> fent Amhaffadora to him.: ftwl
ieveral of the. remotaer Provinces feeing their old Mer
fropolis exm itfelf in this mannei', began tojift vp
thpir hfiads again, And fomc out of fear, others out
pf hope, endeavoured to fhcw itali manner of re^
Ip^^. JBuc Niccolò^ notwithltandlog diq extraordir
n^ry nspptation he had acquired, was foon obliged to
quit his .new office ; for as he found himfelf not equal to
i^gr^^ A weight, he privately retired without any coni^
pV^fion, to (helter himfelf under the wings of Charles^
King of Bohemia, who, by the Pope's mandate, had
been eleóled Emperoir, in oppofition to Lewis of Bat-
varia. • That Prince, however, inftead of affording
him^ afylum as he expcfted, fent him prifoncr to
JRome, out of complailance to the Pope, from whom
he. had received fo great favours. ÌTot long aftcr^
one Fr^ci&o Baioncegli, ia imitation of Niccolò,

» His proper n^m^ wa* Niccolò Qabrini ^ Lprepzo, or Rienzi.
There is a circumftantial and very remarkable «prative pf this con-
spiracy, written in French, by the Fathers Brumoy and Cerceau, in
Svo. apd publiflied in EngBih abput feven or dght years ago : froM
the preface of which take the following extraót ? « Tb be told, that
the fon of a fmall Innkeper and of a Waftiervvoman, raife4 himfeTf
fo fovereign Power, muft appear ftrange s that he did this without
^ny regul^ gradation, and ainioft ^n an in^fitj pvuft feem ftiU
Itranger 5 that he atchieved this without any patron, and almoft with-
out any aflìÉance, has yet more of the marvellous : that he did ft
purely by dint of parts, find fupported what was called, arid in the
end became really, tyranny, rather by eloqi^nce than force, rife*
lughcr ftill : but when it is added, that being degraded, delivered up
to the powser againft w^iich he had rebelled, he ftould, by the bare
exertiop of the fame talents, not only efc^pe puniflwncnt, but ii^du^
that power to deliver him out of prifon, and to replace him in the
>igb ftation from which he had follen, feems altogether incredible.
i;he following (beets however, undeniably prove that all this adualty
Jiappened. and much* more: fo that in effcél, though a true hif-
^y^ it diftances in point of wonder, even ^hc boldeft fì^ions in
Romances"

- I pof-

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l^ook I- OF FLORENCE. ^3

pol&flèd himfelf of the Tribunefhip, and once mofe
^rov^ the ftoatars out of the city : fo that the Pope,
as the readieit way to fppprefs him, fet Niccolò at
lit>eity, and not only lent Kim to Rome, but rein-
^ted him in his former office : upon which, he jre-^
IjLimed the government of the city, and caufcd Fran*
cifco to be put to death. But asthe Colonnitook
9^enci^ at his manner of proceedings he himfelf, .not
lopg ^ftèr, i^nderweivt the fame fate, and the Senators
were r^ÌBipred to their ancient authority*

In th^ mean time, the King of Hnngary havfing
depqi^d Queen Giovanna, returned to his own King-
dom. But the Pope, who rather chofe to have the
Queen for a neighbour, than that King, fo contrived
matters, that thè kingdom was reftored to her, tipon
condition, that herhufband Lewis (hoyld reqpqnce
the title of King, and be content with that of the
Prime of Taranto. The year 1350 being come, hi^
Hplincfs refolvcd that the Jubilee, inftead of being
held every hundredth year, as had been ordained by
Pope Poniface the Eighth, (hould be celebrated every
àftieth •, an4 having paiC^d a decree for that purpofe,*
he Romans, out of gratitude for fo great a Bene-
'^ipn, confcnted that he (hould fend four Cardiaala
io reform their City, and make what Senators he
thought fit *• After which he declared LewÌ3 of T*-»

t

• Tfee JubHec is a feftlval year, celebrated with gi
the Romiih Church, wj^en the Pope grants a plenary
Sinners that vifit the Churches of St, I'eter and St. P
was firft inftituted, as has been already laid, by Boni
the year 1300, in favour of fii/h as (hould come " a
lOrum 5'' and was to return only once in an hundre
Ludi Sseculares of the antient Romans ; at which
were invited by a Cryer, " to come ahd lee a light t
ing had ever fecn, or (hould fee again.'* The firfl:
ib enriched the ctty of Rome, that it was called th
which induced Qlemen^ VI. to reduce the period to
Iwn-VI.' appomted it to be held every thirty-five y
the age of our Savjour^hcn he was crucified : and Si
kdown to every' twenty-fifth. Boniface IX. gt;aWte(
Itolding Jubikes to feveral' Princes and MonaSeHes.
Canterbury had ohe Cvèry" fifty years [ when ppbple
parU,~to viiit-ti»e tt>mb of Thomas Bccket. They
more frequent | and the Pope grants them as often a

ranto.

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6^, T H E H I S T O R Y Book L

ranto. King of Naples again ; and Queen Giovanna,
in return for that favour, gave Avigi^on to the Church,
which was a part of her patrimony.

By this time, Luchino Vifconti being dead, Gio-
vanni, Archbifhop of Milan, remained fole Lord of
that city; and* making feveral wars upon Tufcany,
and the neighbouring States, became very confider-
ablc. After his deceafc, the government devolved to
hh two nephews^ Bernabò and Galeazzo : but Gale-
azzo dying foon after, left his fon Giovanni Galeazzo
to ftiare the State with his uncle. Charles, King of
Éohemia, was now made Emperor, and Innocent the
Sis:tb, Pope; who, having fent Cardinal Egidius, a

bimfelf, have occafion fof them. There ii ufuallyone at the inau-
guration of every new Pontif.

To be entitled to the privileges of the Jubilee, the Bull enjoins
fafting, alms, and prayer». It ^ives a prieft full power to abfolve in
all cales, even in thole that are otherwife referved to the Pope» to
commute for vows, &c. in vvhich it differs from a plenary Indulgence.
Paring the time of the Jubilee, aH other Indulgences are fufpended.
One of our Kings, Edward III. caufed bis birth-day to be obferved
in the manner of a Jubilee, when he became fifty vears of age, but
not before or after. He releafed all prifoners, pardoned a!l offences
except treafon» made good laws, and granted many privileges to the
people.

There are particular Jubilees in certain cities, when feveral of

their feftivals happen on the fame day: at Puy en Velay, for inftance»

when .the feafl of the Annunciation happens on Good Friday $ and

at Lyons, when St. John Baptift's day falls on the Feftival of Corpus

Chrifti* In 1644, the Jefuits celebrated a folemn Jnbilee at Rome j

lary, or hundredth year, from the inflitution of

; fame Ceremony was obferved in all their Con-

: world é

js, is ufed amongft the Romaniils to fignifv a
een fifty years in a monaftery, or an Ecclefianic*
ers fifty years. Such veterans are difpenfed with
L attending Matins, or a ftri6t obfervation of anv
The word is al fo extended to any man that it

d, and to a pofFefTion of fifty. «* Si ager non in-
le, inquiratur de fenioribus, ouantum temporis
c Ci fub certo Jubilaeo manferit fine vituperatione»
' — fay the Lawyers.

5 cotemporary with this Pope (Clement VI.) fay»^
d man, and makes particular mention of hit cx-
» which retained every thing with that exaó^nefs»:
luch as the power of forgetfulnefs : and what is

e, he fays, this prodigious memory was acquired
p the icars of which remained upon his head as

Spa-

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Bookl, QP FLORENCE, 0^

Spaniard» intp Italy, retrieved the reputation of the
Church, by his virtue and good condud, not obly in
Rome and Romagna, but all over Italy. He reco-
vered Bplogna, which had been uforped by the Archr
bifhop of Milan ; and forced the Romans to ^mit ^
foreign Senator every year, of the Pope's appoint-
ment. He made an honourable accommodation with
the Vifconti. He routed and took prifoncr one John
Aguto, or Augut, an Englifhman, who was come intq
TuCcany with four thoufand forces of that nation, to
f he affiftancc of the Ghibelincs. After which, Urbarj
the [Fifth fucceeded to the Pontificate, refolded to
vifit Italy and Rome itfclf, where Charles the Emper
ror came to meet him : and, afi;er a ftay of fome
months, Charjps returned into Bohemia, and t\ip Pop?
to Avignon.

Gregory the Twelfth * fucceeded Urban, and Gar^
dinal Egidius being now dead, Italy relapfed into m
former diftrackions, which were chiefly.occafioned by
a confederacy againft the Vifcont], The Pope thcreT
fore fcnt a Legate into Italy with fix thoufand Bretons»
whom he followed in perfon, and brought back hi^
court with him to Rome, in the year 1376, after it
had rcfidcd in France for the fpace of 71 years. Whei|
this Pontif died. Urban the Sixth was created Pope x
^nd not long after, ten of the Cardinals complaining
of an unfair Eleftion, chofp Clement the Seventh at
Fondi. In the me^n ;ime the Genoefe rebelled, aftep
they had lived quietly many years under the govern-
ment of the Vifconti, aqd there w?re great wars be^
twixt them and the Venetians about the IQand of
Tenedos, in whi$:h ali Italy by degrees became con-
cerned : ?n4 in thefe w^rj^ the ufe of CannoR yf^

♦ Mjichiavcl fayi Gregory XII. but it Is a miftake 5 a« indeed there
art many in all tfte chronological tabled of the Popes : fòme itjfcrtiiijp
the Antipope$, and ophcrs omiyting them. There ate great difputea
^fo amongft the learned about the time qf the choice and deceafe of
ieveral Pontif». Thofp ijb^t have wrote the beft upon this fubjeft', :
■ ^c our two learned CoAin try men. Dr. John Pearfori, and Mr. Henry^
podwell, in their differtations qpop the Succeflion of the firft Biihopi'^
pf Rom«> af^<} i^ th^ Annates Cypri anici» written by the former.

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$6 T H E H I S T O R Y fiook L

lirft ^ introduced, which had been latdy invented by
thq German?. TJie fienoefe prevailed at firft, and
kept Venice blocked up for feveral months; but the
Venexians got the better in the end, and made -an
honourable peace wUh them, by the mediation of the
Pope.

In the year 1381 there was a fchifm in the Church
(as we have faid before) land Queen Giovanna took
part with thie Antipope. Upon which, Pope Urban
fet an invafion on foot againft her, and Tent Carlo
Durazzo, a dcfccndant of the royai houfe of Naples,
owith an army, into her Kingdom, who foon pofleflTed
himfclf of it, and drove her into France ; which fo
provoked the King of that nation, that he fent Lewis
of AnJDu intp Italy to reiaftate the Queen, to force
Urban out of Rome, and to fet up tlie Antipope^
But Lewis dying before all this coukl be accomplilh-
cd, his army difperfed and returned into France ; at
which the Pontif took courage and went in perfon to
Naples, where he threw nine Cardinals into prifon for
having fidcd with France and the Àntipope. After
this, he was affronted with tjie King for refufing to
make one of his nephews Prince of Capua : but con-
cealing his refentraent, he defired he would give hicn
leave to rcfide at Nocera for a while j which beii^
granted, he prefently fortified himfelf there, and be-
gan to concert meafures for depriving him of the
whole Kingdom. But the King taking the alarm,
advanced againft Nocera and laid fiege to it ; from
whence the Pope, however, made his efcapc and got
to Genoa, where he put the Cardinals to f death that
were his prifoncrs, and then returning to Rome,

♦ Larrey makes brafs cannon the invention of J. Owen 5 and fays,
ereknowpin Engbnd, were in 1535. Cannon, kow-
were known long before; and obferves, that thcr^ were
he Englilh army at the battle of Crefli, in 1346, which
:hat had been leen in Fn-^nqe. Mezeray alfo fays» that
the Third ftruck a terror hi to the French array, by
es of cannon, as it was the àj4l time they h^d ^ver fe^n
sngiaes.
t^em to be fewed up' In b^f, an$i th^pwn intgt tl)e Si^au

• created

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fiook 1 Ò F F L O R E M t E. 67

created twenty- eight new ones to ftrcngthen his party.
Carlo went into Hungary, was proclaimed King there,
and died foon after, having left Jiis wife at Naples,
and two children whom he had by her, one nanicd
Ladiflaus, the other Giovanna.

In the mean tinie, Giovanni Galeazzo Vifconti had
killed his uncle Bernabò, and feized upon the State of
Milan ; and not being content with having made him-
felf fole mafter of all JLombardy, he formed a defign
upon Tufcany alfo : but juft at a time when he flat-
tered himfcif wkh <be greateft hopes of fucceeding in
that enterprjze, and of being afterwards crowded
King of Italy, he died. Urban the Sixth was fuc-
ceeded by Boniface the Ninth, Clement the Seventh,
the Antipope like wife died at Avignon'^ and Beneditì:
the Thirteenth was elcdled in his room.

All this while Italy was full of foldiers of different
nations, as EngliHi, Germans, and Bretons ^ ^me Qf
them, introduced by thofe Princes, who, upon feve-
ral occaGons, and at various times, had been invited
' thither, and others fent by the Popes when they re-
fided at Avignon. \^ith thefe foreign troops the Ita-
lian Princes had^ fop the moft part, carried on their
wars 5 till at laft Ludovico da Conto, a native of Ro-
magna, trained up a body of Italians, and called them
St. George^s Bands, whofe valour, and difcipline much
diminiffied the reputation of the foreigners, and re-
trieved that of their own countrymen in fuch a man-
ner, that they were afterwards almoft conftantly em-
ployed by the Italian Princes in their wars. The
rope, upon- fome differences that arofe betwixt him
and the Romans, removed to Scefi and continued
there till the Jubilee that happened in the year 140D :
at which time, the Romans, tp invite him back again
for the benefit of their city, once more confcnted
that he (hould have the annual nomination of a fo-
iclgn Senator, and be allowed to fortify the Caftle
of St. Angelo. Upon this condition he returned ;
zhd^ to enrich the Chtirch,.he ordained that every Be-
nefice, upon a vacancy, fhould pay the firft fruits,

F 2 or

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68 THEHISTORY Book t.

or ope years income, into the Ecclefiaftical Cham-
ber.

After the death of Giovanni Galeazzo, Duke of
Milan, who left two fons, Giovanni-Maria-Angeld,
and Philip, that State was divided into many fac-
tions : and in the troubles which enfued, the elder of
them was killed, and Philip for fome time kept pri-
foner in the caftle of Pavia ; from whence he at laft
made his efcape by the favour and aOiftance of the
Governor. Amongft others who feized upon cities
tha't formerly belonged to his Father, was Guglielmo
della Scala, who being banilhed had retired to Fran-
cifco da Carrara, Lord of Padua, by whofe aid he
recovered the State of Verona, though he did not
long enjoy it; for the fame Francifco caufed him to
be poifoned and aflumed the government thereof him-
felf. The people of Vicenza, therefore, who till
then had lived quietly and fecurely under the pro-
teótion of the Vifconti, feeing the Lord of Padua
now grown fo powerful, put themfelves under the
wings of the Venetians, who, at their inftigation,
made war upon him and drove him firft out of Verona^
and afterwards out of Padua»

About this time died Pope 'Boniface, and was fuc-
ceedcd by Innocent VIK to whom the people of
Rome prefented an addrefs for the reftitution of
their forts and liberties; which being refufed, they
• called in Ladiflaus, King of Naples, to their af-
fiftance. But as th^ir differences were afterwards ac-
commodated, the Pope returned to Rome, from
whence he had retired to Viterbo, for fear of ttie
people ; at the latter of which places he created his
nephew Ludovico, Coynt della Marca, and foon after
died. Gregory XII. fuccceded him, on condition
that he fliould refign the Fapacy whenever the Anti-
pope could be prevailed upon to do the fame. In
confequcnce of this, at the exhortation of the Car-
dinals, to try whether it was polfible to reunite th«
Church, Benedift the Antipope came to Porto Ve-
neri, and Gregory to Lucca, where many expedients

wcr?

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Book L O F F L O R E N C E. 69 ,

were propofcd, but nothing concluded : upon which,
the Cardinals on each fide deferting them both, Be-
nedict retired into Spain, and Gregory to Rimini.
Baldaflare CofTa, therefore. Cardinal and Legate of •
Bologna, encouraged the Cardinals to call a Council
at Pifa, where they chofe Alexander V. who immcr
diately excommunicated King Ladiflaus, difpofed of .
bis Kingdom to Lewis of Anjou, and, in confede-
racy with the Florentines, Genoefe, Venetians, and :
BaldafTafe Coffa, the Legate, fell upon him and drove ,
him out of Rome. But whilfl this war was carrying
on with great fury, Alexander died, and Coffa the
Legate being made Pope in his ftead, affunied the
name of John XXIIL and foon removed to Rome
from Bologna (where he had been cledcd), in order
to meet Lewis of Anjou, who was* come thither with
an army of Provencals. After he had joined him,
they marched againft Ladiflaus, engaged, and routed
his army r but, through the default of their comman-
ders, they could not purfue their Vidiory: fo that
ladiflaus foon rallied his forces and recovered Rome, .
driving the Pope back to Bologna, and Lewis inco
Provence. The Pope therefore, contriving new means ;
to reduce the power of Ladiflaus, caufed Sigifmund,
King of Hungary, to be eicded Emperor, invited -
him into Italy, and had an interview with him at
Mantua, where it was agreed betwixt them that a
general council fhould be afkmbled for re-uniting the
Church 5 that fo it might be the better able to oppofe
the attempts of its enemies.

There were now three different Popes at the fame
time, Gregory/ Bcncdift, and John, which kept the
Church very low, both in power and reputation. '
The place appointed for the meeting of the council
\^as Cunttance, a city in Germany, much againfl the '
inclination of Pope John : and though, the principal
reaibn, which had induced the Pope to have recourfe
to a council, was removed by the death of Ladiflaus, :*
yeft, as he had obliged himfelf to go to it, he could ^
not \j^cll tell how to excufe his abfence. However, in

F 3 a few

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70 T ^ E H I S T O R T , Book h

a few months after his arrival at Conftancc, he was
feofiblc of his error when it was too late, and end^a*
voured to have got privately aWay from thence ; but
being taken, he was imprifoncd. and forced to refigri
the Papacy. Gregory, one of the Antipopes, atlb
renounced his pretèniìons-, by an inltrument drawn up
for that purpofe; but Benedici, the other, refufed,
and was condemned as an heretick. At laft, find-
ing himfclf utterly forfaken by alt his Cardinals, "
hò^ like wile reffgned, and the council, chofe Otho, of
the family of Cblonni, Pope, whp ^took the name of
Nfertin V. by which the Church was re-united, after a
fchiftn that had lafted forty years, and'ftveral different
Pèntifs had reigned at the fame time *

f: Benedir, r»y 5 VclUirc, wha kad fhewn much courage before,
an^ b^d foiight both by fea ami laiicj, wa& very humbieaiia Dc^gn^d
when his fenteflc^ was read to him, in prifon at Manbeirn, where the.
Enfvperor kept Wio clofe coirfined three years, and caufed him to be. '
tr^jtted vyith %:h feverity aj rjsndfirert him more an object of co^«-
paiiion, than his crimes bad expofed hira to the public hatred.

iHre fathers pf the Council did not meet at firft in order to depoJe
him ; . their piincipal view.feemedto be t^e reformation of the Church.
This was chieily the de/igii of G<irfon and the other: deputies pf the
uifiVerfity of ^aris. ' Complaints ' had been publickjy roadp fox: the.
fptcieof two years agaawft the Annats, the Exemptions, the réfèf-
v^ioas, an4 theimpgfiiions of the Popes upon the dergy, ta^.ijirich
the court of Rome; in (hort, againlt all the vices, with which ,tjhe^
Church was at that time disfigured. But how did this refo'rnriatiba '
emd ? Hijs fupceflor declared, ia the fijjft place» that no . exetnp^ns
. ihould be granted without cognizance of" the caufe. *. That the
nature of the Benefices which had been united, ftìouid be enq^iired
ini». 3. That the revenues of vacant Benefices (hould be difpofed of
according to law^ 4. He made an iotìffedual provifion agaioft Si*
mony. 5. He ordained that all fuch as had Benefices inouJd be
diftinguilhed- by the- Tonsure. 6. He forbad the celebrating of Mafs
in a lay habit. Thefe were the laws, m^de by the moft folcriin af-
fé mbly in the pniverfe. — Gerfon, with great dilEculty, obtaiiied the
condemnation even of the following propofitions ; That there arc-
cafra in whkh thetaflaffinating; a perfoo is a virtuous adi'ion ; f«r more
meritorious in a Knight than a 'Squire j and ftjll nàuch more fo in a
Prince than a Knight. This doftiine of airaffihation had been pub-
lickly maintained by a Cordelier, whofe n^me was Jean Petk, upon*
the murder of his Prince's own brother. The coiyucii for a long time, '
evaded Gerfon's petition j but at laft, they were obliged to cond^ma.
th^« doé^rjne of murder, though without mentioning the Cordelier in *
particulate. . • '

John^Hufs, and Jerome of Prague, were both condemned to thft*
flames by, thrs Council, for maintaining^ the doÓlrines of Wicliff.
ìfrào baé taughfithat t»e mud not believe any thing that was im.

Phi-

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Bdbkl. OF FLORENCE. 71

PhiJiji Vifconr? was rii^h (as we have fàidì corffincd
irt the cattle of Pavia. Bxit Fantino Gàné (who, dur-
ing the troubles in Lombardy, had màdd himfelf maf-
tcf of Vercelli, Alexandria, Novara, and Tortona,
znà amaflfed great riches) dying witl^otJt childferi, kft
his wife Beatrice heir to his p/^ireffions ; enjdining his
friertfds to ufe their iitmoft endeavours to g^t her mar-
nati to this Philip ; by which match he beeame fò
po^erM that he recovered Milan aiid ali the reft of
Loitlbardy, But ibrgerting all oblfgalions, a§ Prince^
ufoàlly db^ he accufed his wife BeaYriW of adultery^
aftd put her ta-death : and finding hirnfelf nov(^ very
ftróng^ and potent, he began to thirik of rhaking war
u^an Tufcany, in order to execute the defigns that

p^ifible and contradictory to rcafon : jbat noaccuJen( can Aibfiit with*
oyt a fubjeftj ID a wprd, that the fubftancc of bread and wine r*-^,
ntàiris in the Eacharift. He Wanted Ilkewlfe to abolifh auricular con*
feiriòn, indulgences, and the ecclefiaftical hierarchy. It is remark-
able, that the former of thcfe two unhappy viétiras came thither
with the Emper6r*s fàfe-cohdii6t. And the latter, who wa» his dii%
cìf>le*^3riKÌ friend, arid i man of much riiperior eloquence and under*
landing, (fbdugH at firft^he hàd'figned a renunciation of his mafter*t.
do&ine) having heard with wliat magnanimity he had encountered
d^b, was affiamed to furtive him j he therefore made a puWic re.
tca^aép,. and wa^ burnt. Poggio» the. Fiorentine, Secretary to Popìe
JphnXIII, and one of the 61ft reftorers of Letters, who was pi'efent
at 'msiftt^rro^afofies imd execution, fays, he never heard any thing
th'àt fò nearly a{>ptòached to tlie eloquence of \he Greeks and Ro-
mans, as the fpecch whiclr ^eropie made to bis judges. " He fpoke,
fays lie, like à Socrates, and walked to the kincfled pile with as.
iBticb chearfùThefe as the other drank the cup of hémloclc."

Oht of their afees arpft.a civil war; for the Bohcmiam» bcfidies
other reproaches, upbraided the Emperor witl\ having violated the
law of nations. And not lon^ after, whf'h SìgìTnfund afpircd to fuc»
c£td h'U brother Wcnccilaccs, in the kingdom of Bohemia, he found'
that, though he was Emperor of Germany, and KiUg of Hungary,
the death pf two private oien bad precluded his acce/Hon to the ^-
Ifémian thk-ònè. Their averig^rs v^efe 40.000 men, whoni the feventy
of the CouticiT had cxafperated to fuch a degree, that they killed
every prieft thev met. Their General, John, furnamed Ziflca»
(wfedi fignifiès hVihà of one eye) defeated Sigifmund in feveraV
Wttlés : and having loft his other eye at laft' in an engagen>ent, he
fftll continued^ to head his troops, giving direé^iohs to his officers,
stffd amftin^ in theii^ councils. ^ He ordered them to make a drum of^
fifg fkin after he was dead, which they did 3 and thefe very remainsv
of ZitksL infpired the! Bohemijins with fuch courage, and ftruck fuch
gf terror itito the éiiémy^ that it was (i:tteen years before Sigifmund
rtade himfdf niafter of Boherfiia, abd then with gi^ejit difficulty. Vide
Voltaire's Gen. Hift. Vol. I. part. ii. from page 259 to page 373.

F 4 had

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^i tHÈHlSTOkT èdbk t;

hàd been formed by his father Giovanni Galcaz550i
Ladiflaus, King of Naples, at his death, bcfides his
JCingdomj had alfo left his fitter Giovanna a fonnid-
àblc army commanded by the beft and mofl: expc-
Henced Generals in^ Italy : the chief of whom was
iSforÉa of Contigiiuola, a perfon of Very great fame
for his valour and condoa: in thofe wars. She was
hò.fooner on the throne, but, to clear herfelf of the
fofpicion of being too intimate with one PandolphcUo*
Whom flie had brought up and preferred, fhe married ,
triacopo della Marcia-, a Frenchman^ of royal extrac-
fcion, upon (condition that he fhould content himfelf
With being ftyled Prince of Taranto, and leave the.
title ahd government of the Kingdom entirely to her*.
But as foon as he arrived at Naples, the foldiery ac
kiiowledged him as their King-, which occafioned
gtézl ijuarrfels and contefls betwixt him and the
(Qiiecn, wherein fometimes one, and fometimes the>
©ther had the better. At laft, however^ the Queen
ieftablifliied herfelf in the government, and became a
bitter enemy to the' Pope; Upon which. Sforza, to
diftrefs her and force her into a compliance with his
bwn terms, immediately laid down his commidion
attd Vefufed to ferve her any longer. So that being
difarmed, as it were, all on a fudden, and having no
other remedy, flie applied for affiftance in this extre-
tremity to Alphonfo, King of Arragon and Sicily,
whonl (he adopted for her Ton : and to command her
fl^rces, Ihe took into her pay Braccio da Montone, a
foldier of no lefs eminence and reputation than Sforza,

* This Giovanna, or Joan, or Janetl. ((Jueen oÌT Naples.) as (he is
tailed by different authors, married James of Hourbon^ fon of John.
Count de la Marche, to her fecond hufband j who not being able to.
bear that The (hould continue her familiarities with Fandolpho Alòpo,
a handfome young Neapolitan) whom (he had made her chamberlain^
ordered his head to be cut off, and not only deprived her of all (hare
in the adminiftratiori, but kept her in a manner locked up, and very
feldom admitted her either into his company or bed : all which ufage
(he diffembled with great artifice, till (lie found means at laft to get
the upperhand of him and drive him back again into France, whet'e
he ended his days in a monaftery. Brantome. Vies des Dames illuftres.
p. 384. 388.

V and

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Sdbkl. OP FLORENCE. f$

and hated by the Pope for having fèized Upoft arid
Vifurped Perugia^ and feveral other towns that bclong-
*ed to the Church. After this, a peace was concluded
betwixt her and the Pope: but Alphonfo fufpeamg
Ihe would ferve him as (he had done her tiuiband^
fccretly took tileafures to make himfelf mafter of ali
her fortreffes, in which, however, he was prevented ;
for as Ihe was a woman of great fubtlcty and fufpefted
his inrentionsr, ihe was before- hand with him, and took
care to fortify hcJrfclf ftrongly in the citadel of Naples,
Jealoufies incrcafing iftthis manner, they at laft came
to an open rupture y in the courfe of which, the Queen,
by the affiftance of Sforza, who had returned into
her fervice, got the better of Alphonfo, drove him
out of Naples^ entirely difcarded him, and adopted
Lewis of Anjou in his room ; which gaVe rife tto new
wars betwixt Braccio, wha was now of Alphonfo*s
party, and Sforza, who was engaged for the Queen. ■
In the procefs of thofc wars. Sforza was unfortu-
nately drowned in paffing the river Pefcara : by which
accident the Queen was once more difarnped iaa tnin-^
ner, and would in alt likelihood hate been driven out
of her Kingdom, if fhe had not been affifted by Phi-
lip Vifconti, Duke of Milan, who forced Alphonfo^
to return into Arragon. But Braccio not in the leaft
difcouraged at his being abandoned by Alphonfo, ftHI'
carried on the war againft the Queen, and laid fiege^
to Aquila : upon which, the Pope, looking upon^
Braccio's greatnefs as likely to be o# prejudice to tbc>
Church, took Francifco^ fon of the late Sforza, ihw
his pay ; who marching with an army' to the relici of
^ Aquila, engaged Braccio, and not only routed hi^
^6tccs, but killed him. Of Braccio'S party there only'
remained Otho his fon, from whom the Pope took Pc^
fugia, but left him the government of Montone ; bue
he alfo was killed not long after in Romagna, in the
fervice of the Florentines : fo that of all thofe wha

. . * The capital of Abruzzo, a Province in the Kingdom of N^piesj
which borders on the Gulph of Venice.

6 had

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74 THE HISTORY Bdok L

h^ fought under the banners of Breccia» NitColòPifc-
cinino was now in the greateft reputa cion.

We have thus brought down our narrative in 1
fommary manner, almoft to the tim^s We at flrft [>ro-
ppfed V and as the remainder of that per^ contains
nothing ^onfiderable, except the war that the, Flo-
rentines and Venetians were engaged iri with Philip, -
Duke of Milan^ which Siali be related when we come
to fpeak more particularly of Florellcei we (hall
pro<ied no farther in it than juft to give a fliort
fketch of Italy, as it then Aooaj with regard to its
Prmccsr and military Commahdcts. Amongft , the
priiKjipai Statesi Queen' Giovanna the Second held
the Kingdom of Naples* . Some tdwns of Ancona^
tfte Patrimony of Sf. Peter, ^nd Rof|>aniaj were fub-
je& to. the Church,, and fpme to iti Vicar's* of others,
tbàit had' iei2ed il pon them -y^s Ferrara^ Modena^ and
Reggio,) to the fafmily of Efte ; Fae<n^ t» thè Man-
fredi;. Imola to the Alidofi; Forli to the Ordelaffi :
HioMni ^d PcfarQ^ the Malatefti; and CafmerinO:
tOf the Houfe of Varana. Lombardy was divided be-
twixt Duke PhjlÌ4> afnd the Venètiaiiis ; all the reft;
wh0'ha4 had any principality in thtfanglfe^" being of-,
tHiékè except the :Hol>fe of Gonzaga, ^irtTich governed;
Matìtuà at that titoe. The gr,eater part of Tufcany-
wai' under the Florentines : i:.u<::cà arid Siena alGn«,>
Ifvcd under their own laws ; the farmer governed by >
ifee Guimgi, the ktcer entirely free. The Genoefe,
feeing fometimes free, fpmetimés under the dcminionr
of tfhé Fren<:h, andfòmetimes of the Vifconti, wcrc>
èf little account^ and reckoned amongft the loweft
«nd moft inconfidcraWe States in kaly^ And eveif
tòofe^ef higher rank did not attend to the manage-
ment of their w^s tbemfelves, or carry them on with
tiiejr own proper forces and Commanders. Duko
Philip confined bimfelf chiefly to his apartment, and
Uving.a retired life, left all military affairs to be con^
dufted by Commiflarics. The Venetians, after they
bad began tp get footing on tlic Ontineflt, difregardcd
their fleet, which had made them fo formidable at

Scaj

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Book I. O F F L O .R E N C £• 7»

Sea ; and^ like the reft of theltalian States, gxvethe
comma/id of their land forces to.Forergncrs. The.
Poftè being a Spiritual Prince^ and the Sovereign o(
of N^les a woman, were not (o proper to command
ia perfon, and therefore were forced to do that' by ^
neceiCty, which others did cmtof weakncfsand in-
difcrction. The Florentines lay under the fame nc- .
ce0ity ; for their nobility being extinguished l^ conv
tinuai difcordvaod their Republic governed by fuch
a&were bced up tcfa mercantile way of life, they^wcrc
forced to fubmit, to the guidance and conduft. of.
others : &^^ that the armies of all the Italian States, .
were in the hands either of petty Princes, or of Ad-
venturers, and SoJdiers of fortune, who hadnocftatc
or dominions of t'heir own ; the forrher of whom ac-
cepted thofe commands, not out of any laudable am-
bition or defire of fame, but merely to fecure them-
felves, and to live in greater affluence : and the latter
having been bred up to the profeffion of arms from
their youth, and confequently not able to turn their
hands to any other employment, followed that way
of life in hopes of gaining riches and reputation.
The moft cmiheni-of thefe were; Càrnf)ignruo4a, Fran-
cifco Sforza, Niccolò Piccinino, (who had been edu-
cated under Bràccio) Agnolo della Pergola, Lorenzo,
and Micheletto Attenduli, Tartaglia, Giaccopaccio,
Ceccolino da Perugia, Niccolò da Tolentino, Guido
Torello, Antonio del Ponte ad Era, and feveral
others ; amongft whom may be reckoned thofc Lords
that have been already mentioned : to whom we may
add, the Barons of Rome, the Urfini, the Colonni,
and many more Lords and Gentlemen of Naples and
Lómbardy, who depending altogether upon war for
their fubfiftence, had formed a fort of combination,
or private correfpondence amongft themfelyes, and
reduced it into a trade, or fyftem, as it were ; which
was fo dexteroufly managed by them, that when two
States were at war, they were both almoft fure to be
. lofcrs at the end of it : by which means the art of
war at laft became fo mean and contemptible, that

any

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7« THÈ HISTORY, &cf. Book t

any common Captarn, who had had but the leaft fpàrk
of ancient valour, difciplinc, or experience, would
have held thofe very Gentlemen in the higheft dc-
rifion, who were then fo ftupidly admired and idolized
by all Italy. The exploits of thcfc hzy inaftivc
Fiances, and their pitiful Commanders, will be the
chief fobjeft of the following Hiftory. But before I
proceed any farther, I muft, according to my pro- '
irtife, in the firft place, deduce the Republic of Flo- '
rci)ce ftom ks original, in order to give the Reader a
clear view of its ftate and condition in thofe times,
and ihew by what means that city arrived at it, after *
the troubles and diftraftions in which Italy had been
involved for the fpace of a thoufand years.

END OF THE FIRST BOOK.

« » s- * t ,

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THE

HI S TO R y

p p

F L O R E N C E.

BOOK IL

ARGUMENT.

J^be utility of Colonies. The original of Florence. Whence
it took its name. The firji divijion that happened in
the City. The rife of the Guelph and Ghibeline foe*
fiofis. Their re-union^ and the form of government
ejiablifhed in Florence. The injiitution of the Anziam^
the Captain of the People^ and the Fpdejlà. Their
forces and generofity in time of war^ Manfred^ JCing
of Naples J chief Patron of the Ghibelines. The Pa-
triotifm of Faripata Uberti. Charles of Anjou called
into Italy by the Pope. A reform of the State in Flo*
rence. Frefh commotions. The government new mo*
idled by the Gjielphs. The twelve Buonhuomini and
the Credenza appointed. Gregory X. Pope. Florence
finder Excommunication. Innocent V, fucceeds Gregory.
fThejealoufy of the Popes. Nicholas III. Pope. The
Ghibelines return frbm banifhment. Martin^ a French*
man^ ileBed Pope. The Government reformed by she
Citizens. The injiitution cf three Priori to govern for
\wo months^ ^nd to be cbofen indifferently out of the
Citizens. The Sigoiory, Difcords betwixt the Nobi'*
lity and Ihe People. A Gonfaloniere di Giuftizia, yr
§tandard'bearer^ appointed. Tie Nobil'Jy exb cried fo

peace.

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^8 T H E H I S T O R Y Book IL

feace. ^he fame admonitions given to She People,
jinotber reform in Florence in the year 1 298. A great
qitiarrel i^ the family of the Cancellieri 4 the occajion
and confenuences of it. They divide into two faSiionSj
diftinguijhed by the names of Bianchif and Neri, /. e.
Whites and Blacks. Their Chiefs and Partifans.
Charles of Valois made Governor of Florence. JNew
troubles occajiomd byCorfo Dona(i% fomented by the
" Medici and Giugni. • A great fire in Fiorente j 1304.
Corfo Donati condemned as a rebel \' his death. Frefb
divijtons. The tyranny and cruelly of Landò d^Agobbio.
The fuccefs of Caftrticcio Cajiracani. A Council of
the Signiory to laft forty months. EleHion of the
magiftrates by Jmborfation. Ramondo da Cardona^
general of the Florentine army ; his bad conduSi^ de-
featj and death. The Duke of Athens^ Deputy-go^
vernor of Florence. The Emperor^ Leims of Bavaria^
exiled into Italy, The death of Cafiruccio and the
Duke of Calabria^ 4 new madel of Government. The
Florentines quiet at home. Their new buildings. Their
tranquillity difturbed. A Captain of the guards ap-
pointed. Maffeo da Maradi prevents an engagement
ietwixt the faSltons in FlorencCt by his mediation.
Lucca fold to the Florentines ; and taken from them by
the Pifans. The Duke of Athens made Governor of Flo-
. rence. The fpeech of one of the Signiory to him. His
anfwer. Be is made Sovereign by the people. His vio-
lent manner of proceeding. Matteo di Morozzo difco-
vers a plot to him. Three confpiracies en foot againji
him at the fme ,time^ An infurréSion in Florence.
The I)uke is expelled. His charaSer. Another reform.
The Nobility turned out of their offices. The bold at-
tempt of Andrea . Strozzi. The Nobles endeavour t9
recover their authority. The people take arms and ut*
terly fupprefs them. ' - ^

AMONGST other wife and noble inftitutions of
former Kingdoms and RcpuWics» which arc
dKcontinued in our times, it was the cu(tbm to build
new towns and cities upon every proper opportunity,
^ , And

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Book H. O F F L O R E N CE. 79

And indeed nothing is more worthy of a great and
•good Pi-ince, or a well regulated Commonwealth,
. nor more for the intertft and ady^nt^ge of a Province,
than to eftabJilh fuch communities, where men may
live together for greater convenience, either of cul-
tivating the earth, or of mutually affifting and de-
fending each other: and this they ufually cffetfted,
by fending fome of their own fubjcéls to inhabit foch
countries as they had either conquered or found un-
peo{ded. Such fettlcmcnts were called Colonies, and
fcrved not only to beautify and noeliorate the face of
the country, by building new towns, but to render
it more fecure to the Conqueror, by filling the void
places, and malting a proper diftribution of the
people thrpugh cyei*y part of it. Thus, living with
greater comfort and CQnvenience, the inhabitants
multiplied fafter, and were more able to invade others,
or defend themfclves. But this cuftom being now
laid afide, either by the fupinenefs or bad policy of
Princes and Reppblics, fgme Provinces are become
exceeding weak, and otherè totally ruined. For this
Order alone fecures a Country and fills it with people.
It fecures it, becaufe 9 Co)ony planted by a Prince in
a Country newjy conquered, is a fort of a "garrifón
to check and keep the natives in obedience. Befides,
^without it, Ilo Province could long continue pro-
perly inhabited, nor preferye a juft diftribution of
the people : for as all parts of it cannot be equally
fertile or healthful, men will naturally abandon the
barren places, ani^ are carried off by diftempers in
thofe that are' unwhplfome*, fo that except fome way
can be found to invite frcfti fcttlers from the other
quarters, to inhabit both the oqe and the other, that
Province mvift fgon be ruined; as the abandoping
fome places leaves them defolate, and crowding too
hrge numbers into others, exhaufts and impoverilhes
them. And fince thefe inconveniencics are not to be
remedied by nature alone, art and indgftry muft be
applied : for we fi?c many countries that were at firft
unhealthful, much altered whcathey coirtc to be in-
I habited

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habited by a multitude of people, the earth being
purified by tillage, and the air by their fires ; which^
without that afliftance, nature only could never have
(cffe£led, Of this, Venice is a remarkable inftance :
for though it was built in a fenny and unwholfome
Jituation, the concourfc of fo many people at one time
foon m^de it healthful, Fifa likewife, on account of
the badnefs of its air, was very thinly inhabited, till
,the Geoncfe were driven out of their territories by thp
Saracens, and flocked thither in fuch numbers, tha|
it foon became a populous and powerful city. But
lìnee the cuftom of fending out Colonics is now out
of faOiion, new conquefts are not fo eaf^ly mainr
. taincd, void places not fo foon filled, nor thofe thai
^re too much crouded fo readily difburthened. Frotn
whence it comes to pafs, that many places in the
world, and particularly in Jtaly, are now become de-
folate and unpeopled, in comparifoi? qf what they
were in former ages ; the true cai^fc of which failure
. is, that Princes have now no appetite for true glory,
and Commonwealths no longer obferve the laudable
cuftoms and inftitutions they anciently ufed to do.

In former times, I fay then, many new Cities were
founded, and feveral that had been built before, much
enlarged by Colonies. The city of Floreqcej^ to give
a particular example, was begun by the inhabitant^
of Ficfole, and augmented by the people , they were
continually fending thither. It is certain, if jPante
and Giovanni ViJIani are tp be credited, that the Ci-
tizens of Ficfole, which is fituated upon the top of 2|
hill, marked out a plot of ground ppon the plain that
lies betwixt the fl^irts of that hill and the river Arno,
for the conveniency of merchants ; that {f> their good$
might be conveyed thither with lefs difficulty, and
, their markets better frequented. Thcfe merchants, I
fuppofe, firft built warehoufcs in that place to flow
their goods in, which, in courfe of tinae, became a
fettled habitation. But when the Romans had fecured
Jtaly againft foreign invafions, by the dcftrudion of
Carthage, they began to multiply exceedingly : fpr

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Book IL O F F L O R E N G E; ft

men will not live any longer in want and diftrcfs than
they are compelled to it, by abfolutc neccffity : and
though the terrors of war qiay force them for a while
to take Ihelper in dèfart mountains, and inacccfliblc
places ; yer^ when the danger is blown over, comfort
and convenience allure them back again, and they
naturally return to places that are more habitable and .
commodious. The fecurity^ therefore^ which was
eftabliflicd in Italy, by th^ reputation of the Romaa
arms, might poffibly be the occafipn that this plaée
increafed fo faft from fo fmall a bcgirining, that ic
foon came to be a town, which, at firit was called
Villa Arnina.

After this, there arofe civil wars in Rome betwixt
Marias and Sylla^ then betwixt Caefar and Pompey,
and laftly betwixt the aflaflins of Caefar artd thofe that
undertook to revenge his death. Sylla was the firft,
and after him, the three Roman citizens who revenged
the death of Csefar and divided the Empire, that fent
colonies to Fiefole ; all, or the greater part of which,
fettled in a plain not far from the town which was al-
ready begun: fo that by this addition, the place be-
came fo full of buildings and inhabitants, and fuch
provifions were made for a civil government, that it
' might well be reckoned amongft the cities of Italy.
But whence it took the name of Florence is not fo
clearly known. Some will have it, that it was fo
called from Fiorino, one of the chiefs of the colony.
Others fay, it was not called Florentia, but Fluentia
at firft, from its be;ng fituatedfo near the ftreani of
the Arno ; and to fupport their aflertion they produce
the teftimony of Pliny, who fays -f ^ •* The Fluentines
are feated upon the banks of the Arno." But that
feems to be an error, becaufe Pliny is there fpeaking
of the fituation, not the name, of the Florentines ;
and' the word Fluentini is mod probably a corruption
of the text, fincc Frontinus and Tacitus, two writers
that were nearly cotemporary with Pliny, call the

t Nat. Hift. 1, iii, c. %s*
Vol. L G «owii

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%é THE HISTORY Boot IK

town Florentia and the people Florentines : and it is
certain^ that in the time of ^.Tiberius, they weir go«*
verned by the fame laws and amhority that the reft
of the cities in Italy were then fobjcft to. Of whicH
we fee a proof in Tacitus f , who relates, that the
Florentines fent deputies to petition the Emperor that
lie would not fuffer their country to be ruined hf
turning the ftream of the river Clanis upon it, as was'
aligned : and it is abfurd to fuppofe that city fhould
liave two names at the fame time. It is my opinion,
therefore, whatever might be the occafion of its ori*^
ginal or denomination, that it was always called Flo*
rentia* It was founded under the Roman Empire,,
and began to be mentioned in Hiftory in the time ofc
the firft Emperors ;. and when the Empire was over-
run by Barbarians, Totila, King of the Ofirogoths,:
took and demolifiied Florence. Two hundred years
after whichv it was rebuilt by Charlemagne, from
whofe time, till the year i2j^, it followed the for-
tune of thofe tljat fucceflively had the ru)e in Italy ;-
for, during that period, it was governed firft by the
pofterity of Charlemagne, afterwards by the Bercn-
garii, and laft of all by the German Emperors, as we
^ have already (hewn in our fummary of the afiairs oi
Italy.

In thofe days, the Florentines being under the do*
Hiinion of foreigners, were not able either to extend
their boundaries, or to perform any thing worthy o£
relation, except, that on St. Romulus's day, in the
year -I GIG, which the Fiefolans obferved as a Iblemn
feftival, they took' and dcftroyed Fiefole, availing^
themfelvcs either of the connivance of the Emperors,,
ór the opportunity that was afforded them by the inter-
regnum betwixt the death of one Emperor arid the^
eleftion of another. But afterwards, when the Popes
affumcd greater authority in Italy, and the power of
the German Emperors was upon the wane^ all the
towns of that province began to govern themfelves^

f Annal. lib. i. ad finem.

, .- and

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Book It O F F L O R E N C E. « j

and Ihewcd but little regard to i^ir Princes : {o that
in the year 1080, Italy was in a manner divided btr
twixt Henry the Third and the Church. Notwithf
ftanding which, the Florentines alway&^fubmittkg t^
the Conqueror^ and aiming at nothing further thaa
their own prefcrvation^ kept themfelvies qurct and un-
divided till tfce year 12 15. But as it is obfcrved, th$t
the later difeafes make their approach, the more dan»
gefous and mortal they commonly are to the humag
body : fo the longer it was before Florence wa?
fcizcd by the p^roxyfms of faftion, the more fat^
they proved when it did happen., Th^ caufe of its
fipft Divifion is very well known, as it has been al-
ready related by Dante and fcveral other Writers i
however, I Ihall give a (hort account of it.

The greateft and moft powerful families in Flo-
rence at that time, were the Buondelmonti and the
U berti; and next to them, the Amadei and Donacf.
In the family of the Donati there was a very rich wi^
dow Lady, who had a daughter of remarkable beawjw
This Lady had refolved with berfelf to marry he*:
da\ighter to Mefler Buondelmonte, à young Cavalieif,
who was then head. of that family 5 but either out xrf"
negligence, or becaufe Ihe thought it was yet in good
time» fhe had not communicated her dcfign to any
body: fo that before (he was aware, young. Buor>-
delmomc had engaged himfelf to a daughter of tbp
Houfe of Amadei, at which the old Lady was e«-
-ceedingly difappointed and chagrined. But as fl«
entertained fome hopes that her daughter's beauty
might ftill have power enough to break the match,
feeing him come alone one day towards her houfcr,
ihc went to the door with her dau^ter to falutc him
as bq pafled by, and amongft other compffiments toki
him, "Shc^couJd not help fi nccrdy rejoicing wh«n
ihc heard he was going to be married, tliough, in-
deed, flie had till then kept her owni daughter fmgfe
fwhom fteprdented to Yàrt) in hopes: tftat fhe Ihould
bave bMn his Bride/* The young Geatkinaan, ftruck
irkh hear extcaordioary/ beamy, and cocìfidetìng fhat

. G 2 her

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«4 T H È ;H I S T O R Y Book !?•

her family and fortune were not inferior to that of
the Lady to whom he was contrafted, grew fo ena-
moAired of her, that, without reflefting upon the en-
'gaaement he was under, the bafcnefs he fhould be
guilty of in breaking it, or the confequcnc^s that
nlight enfue, he immediately replied, •' Madam,
lince you have referved her for me, and it is not yet
too late, I fhould be very ungrateful to rejeft fuch aa
offer J** and prefently after' was married to her. Bur,
as foon as the wedding was made public, it fo exaf-
pcrated the Amadei and liberti, who were nearly al-
lied to the Donati^ that after a conlultation amongft
themfelvcs and fcveral other rclatiohs, it was re-
folved, that the affront was too grievous to be put
up, and could not be fufficiently attoned for, but by
the death of young Buondclmonte ; and though fomc
defired them to confidcr the confequences, Mofcha
Lamberti replied, •* thofe who confidered every thing,
would never conclude upon any thing/* adding the
old proverb, Ofa fatta capa bà^ ** when a thing is
once done, there is an end of it.'^ The faft being
•thus determined upon, thè execution of it was left
to the faid Mofcha, Stiatta Uberti, Lambertuccia
Amadei, and Oderigo Fifanti. Accordingly, on the
morning of Eafter-day, being potted in the houics of
-the Amadei, betwixt the old Bridge and St. Ste-
'phen's, as Meffcr Buondclmonte was paffing the river
on horfeback, without fear or fufpicion, (as if he
thought the affront would have been as eafily for-
gotten as the match had been broken) they fee upon
vhim at the foot of the Bridge, and killed him, clofc
by a Statue of Mars> which then ftood there. This
murder divided the whole city, one part of it fiding
;with the Buondelmonti, the other with the Uberti \
and » both the families were very powerful in al-
liances, cafties, and adherents, the quarrel continued
•many years before cither of them could entirely gee
the better of the other: for though their atiimofitics
xtmld 4K>t:be utterly extinguifbed by a firm and laft-
ing recooctliitiDn, yet they were often palliated and

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B0ok IL ; O ? F L O R E N C E. Ss

compofcd for a while by truces and cc0ation of ho<
itilities ; by which manner of proceeding, as new-ac-,
cidents and events happened, they were fonictimcs
quiet, and fometimes at variance. In this ftaxc Flo-
rence continued till the reign of the Emperor Fre-
derick the Second, who being likewife King of
Naples, and defirous to ftrengthen himfelf againft
tjie Church, and eftablifti his intereft more fecurely in
Tufcany, thought it no bad expedient to join the
liberti and their party, who, by his affiftancc, were
«jnabled to drive the Buondeltyionti out of Florence i
and thus that city (as all the reft in Italy were bpfore) be-
came divided injDo thf twp Fa^ions of * Guclphs and

• Machiavel fays, m the firft t>oo1c of thi» Hiftory, that Piftoia wa«
tìie firft place where thefe names of diftin^ion were ufed. But other
authors lay that the words Guelph and Ghibeline derive their origioal
from a fchifra which djfturbed the Church in the year 1-130, occa-
^oned by the competition betwixt the two Popes Innocent 11. and
Anaclete. The greater part of Chriftendom acknowledged Innocent»
Mrho was ftrenuoully fupported by the Weftem Zxnperor* Anacletej
the Antipope» had tlie. countenance and aflil^anceof Koge;> Count of
Naples and Sicily, a martial Prince, defcended from the Normals»
i^fao had conquered that country, The.pretence of this diOuMe elee*
^ioa haying kept a war on foot eight ^e^r^ (ogethe^, in whjcl» Ko^er^
for the mojt part, had the advantage, the Emperor Conrade III. him-
fcif marched into Italy, at the head of an army of Gern>ans, kaving
iiis fon Pl-ince Henry to follow him. Roger therpfore^ to-oppofe him
yfiih. forces of his own nation, prevailed upon Guelph, Duke of Ba-
varia, to come to hit afliftance. During the courfe of this Witti
yihìch began in tke year 11 39, it fometimes hsppién^, that thc.Efxw
jperor*s army .war commanded by the faid Prince Henry, wh.Q ws^i
^brought up at'the village of Ghibeline in Germany, the fituafiòrtof
which being' exceeding pleafant made hhri pari^ wrly fond of it.^*
4>fie day, when the armies on each (idc were dt-awn up, and read^ tj
engage, the Bavarians, out of compliment to their general, cried om,
'tl 'Guefph, à Guelph i and the Emperòr*8 * troops^ on tlie other luUid,
dhoiited a Gbibeltne, a Ghibeline. Thefe words ièemiqg bar^roUl
to the Italians that were in Roger's army, they came to Guelph t^
"Irtiow the meaning of them, who told tfiem, that the Pope's jwrtjr
were meant by the word Guelph $ and the £mpefor*s, b^ Ghibeline .«
,from whence thofc names became fo common in both armies, that
the Qpi vive," or challenge given by Centinels at their pofts, was gé^
nerally, who goes there ? a Guelph, or a Ghibeline ? and they were
appropriated' to the Italians, according to their refpe^iye fides. At
i^firft, indeed, they were ufed only to jd2tÌQ|^ifli Anadete's party from
the £mperor*s : but afterwards, Roger havins vanquiihed Pppe Inno-
cent, and taken hini 'prifoner, he ^Mì^tó him, at the póce of hit
liberty, to ereét the countries of Naples and Sicily in to Kingdoms: b^
.fihich treaty, Roger being taken off from thf jtf^tcreft oT the Anti*

G3 Ghi-

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8^. T R^ H I S T O R Y Bool; IC

GRifeelmès. It may hat be amifs, therefore, to rckt?e
what families adhered to each party. Thofe that fol--
lowed the Guclphs, were the Buondelmonti, Nerli,
Kbffi, Frefcobaldi, Mòzzi, Baldi, Pulci, Ghéracdinit
Forabòfchi, Bagnefi, Guidalotti, Sàcdhetti, Manieri,
ttlcàrdefi, Cbiaramonti, Coilipiobefi, Cavakanti,
Giandonati, Giarrfigliaizi, Scali, Guaherotti, Jmpor*
tùni, Bbltichi, Tornaquinci, Vecchietti, Tofmghi^
Atrigncfci, Agli, Sizii, Adimari,* Vifdomini, Donati,'
Pazzi, t)èlla Bella, Ardinghi, Teobaldi,* and Cerchia
Tfipfe that took part with the Ghibeliiies were the
y berti, Mannelli, Ubriachi j Fifanti, Amadei, In-
ntlgahti,' Mai efpmi, 'Scolari, -Guidi, 'Galli, Cap-
prardi, Lamberti, Soldanieri, Cipriani, Tofchi, Ami-
<rf;;JPaIérmin}; f/ngHoreH^^ Pi^^U Barocci, Cattarti^
Ag^laoti, Br.uneUelchi, Caponiachi, Elifei, Abbati,;
. 'J^ad'^hiitli, Gaiochi, and Galigai, to which noble fa-
^i^iiie?! p4 each lidt^ great numbers of the common
|>eòple joined thefwfelves$ fo that the whole city in a
tf\i^i\ci vvas. divided betwixt thefe two parties.

:TFbe Guelphs being, thus forcedi out of the city^
rettrttf Tt\to that part of the vale^ which lies higher ^p
flic fivèiìLArno^ where móft of their, ftrong places and
dcjpende^tes lay, and ^defended them as well as they
fJ^wljl» , agaihft the forces of their eheoiies; ^ut when
Frederick died, thofe few who ftood tijcuter, having
^y^it intefeft-^nd t^putatioft atnondt the people^
^hoiifght it jxuacii betterdo reunite the city^ if pol^
J^bJr, rh^ to ruin jt b^ fomenting the Dit'rfioft : :ft*

!«^b .purpQfc,,/;thW r^^' '^^^ prevailed upon the
* Gyrfphs to forgive rhe injuries anddifgrace they had
luffiércd, land^à, rìetiffib'^ and ^ upòft the Ghìt)elin/es, tb
ftjrgtft th^ caufe . of their ; former anuwofuies, and to
Jti^èeìvé them. * y^frer they were reunited rn this man-

^pe^-and efygagiv)^ heartily with the Churchy affixod the nan», of
<7uelphtothePop6^s party/ ankl«oidhrmed that of Ohibctine to the
•fiiétioB of the Emperor. . .. i

Thete tv^o faélioR^v» lenenti 'the height of theii* emuhuion two byji-
drtfd yoaris after, that io tbfayi^^boutthe year f3io,^which. was visféy
near th«'tirae t4iaf CdfkticctoCAfti'aicaai w^$ in his h%U^ft profperity.
Biondo. Sigouius/

•*' '' » • ner.

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c'^'

|fc)olc II. O F F L O R E N C E. %f

ner, they judged it a proper time to take fomc mea*
fwes for the recovery of their libeity, and to prov-
vide for their common defejice^ before the new Em-
perOT grew ftrong enough ^o prevent it. With this
view dicy divided . the city into fix parts^and chofe
twelve citizens, two to gover^n each ward, vmh the /^^
ùtìc of Anziani, but to be change every year. I'd
prcyeiit any feuds or difcontents tibat might arife
^m the determination of judiciary itiatters, they
.conftituted two judges that were not Florentines,^ {one
of whom was ftyled, the Captain of the Peopic, and
^he other the Podcftà) to adminifter jirflice to the
.people, in all caufcs civil and criminal. And linde
Laws are but of little authority and Ihort éuratiòh,
where there is not fufficient power to fupport and en-
force them, they raifed twenty Bands or- Companies
in the city, and fevcnty^fix naore in the reft of their
territories, in which ali the youth were etiKfted, and
obliged to be ready armed under their refpéftivè cé-
Imirs, whenever they were required fo to be by the
Captain of the Anziani. And as their colours were
different, fo were their weapons ; fóifie of them ufifrg
crofs-bows, and others being armed -with fwokls arid
targets. Their Enfigns or' Standand-bearers were
-changed every year with great formaRty at Whitfun-
tide, and frefli officers appointed to command the
whole. To add more dignity and rcfpeft to thek
army, and provide a fort of Head-colours to which
every one might repair when he was driven out of
.the battle, to (belter himfelf, and fnàke head afreifh
agaiftft the enemy, they ordered a large carriage, co-
^ vered with' red trappings, to be drawn along with rt,
-by two oxen, upon which a red and white ftandard
^as difplayed. And whenever their forces were to Be
drawn out, this Carriage was brought into tfce Mer-
cato Nuovo, or New Market, and delivered to the
Captains of the people with much ceremony. And
. for the greater foletpnity in their military expeditionis,
they had a bell called Martitiella, which was tolled
ior a month together without ceafing, before they
. . G 4 took

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n THE HISTORY Book It

took the fifildj that the enemy might have time to
.provide for their defence: for fuch a fpirit of gene-p
j-ofity then prevailed amongft them*, and with fo much
magnanimity did they behave, that though, now ia*
deed, it is reputed laudable and good policy to at-
tack an Enemy unprepared, it was looked upon ia
«thofe days as bafp and treacbecou5. This Bell was
always carried :alopg with tMr armies when they
marched ; ^nd by it, their. fignàls for porting and re-
lieving guards and centinels, and other warlike opc-
;rations were regulated.

;. By fuch difcipline in. their civil and military affairs,
the Florentines laid the foundation of their liberty.;
and it is hardly to be conceived, how much ftrength
and authority they acquired in a very fhort time : for
their city not only became the capital of Tufcanjf,
but was reckpnfsd amongft. the principal in Italy;
and indeed ther^.vi^'no degree of grandepr to which it
inight not have attained, . if it, bad not been ,ob-

^ ^fuded by frequent and almoft continual difcords

-and divifipps. fpr the fpaceof ten years, theyjived

Vndcf this form of goyernaieqt ; during which time,

/zr^tbey forced the States of Piftqia, Arezzo, and Siena,

. ^o enter into, a confederacy with them,, and , in the^r
. return with their army fron-^ the lai! city, they took

Volterra,' <}e<Tìpii{hed leverai caftles, and brought the
inhabitants tp^ Fiprence, In aU thefe expeditions,
the Guclphs had the chief diretftiop .and command, as
;hey were much more fpqpular and powerful, ih^a the
Ghibelines, who had behaved themfelves fo impe-

, rioufly in the reign of. Frederick, when they had the
^pper hand, that they were become very odious to

^ the people ; and bec^ufe the party of the Church

;. was generally thought to favour their attempts to pre-
ferve their liberty, whilft that of the Emperor endea-
voured to deprive them of it.

The Ghibelines, in the mean time, finding their
authority fo dwindled, were not a little difcontented,

^ and only waited for a proper opportunity to feize
upon the government again. Seeing therefore, that

Man-
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?ook II. O F F L O R E N C E; 69

^Manfred, the Son of Frederick, King of Naples,
had eflablifbed himfelf in the poffcffion of that King*
dom, and fufficiently reduced the power of th^
Church, they thought the junfture not unfavour*
able for the execution of their defigns, and entered
into a private correfpondence with him in hopes of
his aflìitancè : buffor want of due fecrecy in thefe
praétices, they were difcovered by the Anziani, who
thcreo^pon fummoned the Uberti to appear before
them; • But inftead of obeying, they took up arms and
fortified themfclves in their houfesi at which the
people were'fo incenfed that they likewifcra# to arms,
^nd by the help of the Guelphs obliged the whole'
parcy of the Ghibelines to quit Florence and tranfpoit
themfelves to Siena. There they fued for aid to Man*-
fred, who granted it, and the Guelphs were defeated
upon the banks ©f the River Arbia, with fuch flaugh*
ter (by the King's forces under the conduét of Fari-
nata, degli Uberti) that thofe who cfcaped from ic^
giving up their city for loft, fled dire^iy to Lucca»
and left Florence to provide for itfelf, Manfred had
given the command of the auxiliaries which h^ fent
to the Ghibelines, to Count Giordano, a foldier of
no fmall reputation in thofe times. This Giordano,
after his victory, immediately advanced with the
Ghibelines to Florence, and not only forced the city
to acknowledge Manfred for its fovereign, but de-
pofcd the Magittrates, and either entirely abrogated,
. pr altered all laws and ^uftoms that might look like
remains of their former liberty; which being exe-
cuted with great rigour and infolence, enflamed the
people to fuch a degree, that if they did not love
the Ghibelines before, they no*\r became their inve-
terate and implacable enemies •, which averfion eon-
tinually incrcafin^, àt laft pfoved their utter dc-
^ruétion.

Giordano being obliged to return to Naples upon
affairs of great copfequencc to that Kingdom, left
Count Guido Novello, Lord of Cafentino, at Flo-
rence, as deputy for the King there ^ who called a

Coun-

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4j| T H E H I S T Ó R Y Itoofc «•

CoiM^it of the GhibcKnes at Empoli, in which k wa»
imanimoufl^ refoLved, thac in carder co ixiaincain .their
power in Tuicany» it was neceiTary to demoH(b Flo-
fence c»tirely> as the people were f^ch rigid Guciph^
ttiete» that it was the- only cky capable of fupportidg
the dtcUiWDg party of the Church. There was noe
tt^t&w^ AS one citizen or friend that had courage
^0Ott^ to oppole this cruel fentence upon fo noble
juid magoi&^nt a city» except Farinata Uber ti^ wh^
jipealy wnà bojdly protefkd agaiuQ: it, declaring that
j^ h^ not undergone (o much fatigue, nor expoied
)mniti£ri^ io many dangers, biit to live quietly afr *
jitrwardf jat homcj nor was he then in a huniour to
jPOed i/Ai^ he hftd fo long ami earneftly fought for;^
.m to flight the ifavours *which good FcM'tone at laft
jÉod gramed him: that on tl:^ contrary he wa^ deter*-
.0^4 to exert himfelf againft any one who, fbould
.|^ about to prevent it, with as much Zealand vigour
,.» he tiad done againO: the Gtielphs 4 and that if eU
\ther me^jeatoufy or cowardice ibould prompt theo;^
^«» endeavour the ruin of their city, they might at-
ic^mfH it if they pleaied,' but he hoped he ihould be
;ablc to defend it with the fame valour that had driven
«dt &is former enemies. — Farinata was a maa of great
43opr:age, an excellent fbldier, bead of the Ghibeiise
iiii&ion» and in fo m^h efteem with Maafred him-
ftU, that his authority alone quafhed the e&dsof
tlMt rcfolutioE^ and pM them upon coniiderlng o^
Bcw ways and means to keep tbemiidves in poff^oa
■trf the g0«vcrnti>cnt. • -

The Gtielphs, ia this mterval, who had taken re-
Ibge in Li#cca» being defired to withdraw out of that
idtj by the LtK;<:hefe, at the threats cif the County
, «ctired to Bologna jfRMa whence tijey were invited
è^ their friends at Parma,, to join them againft the
Ghibèlines in thofc parts, and behaved fo .well then?,
that after they httà conquered them, they hod their
|)oflEeflVom given them à% a reward for their valotir.
{So that having ij).fome ct^afure recovered their flxengfh -
m^ repit^atioQ» Mi hc^nag. that Pope Qem^t liad

• called

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Book II. O F F L O R E N C E; ^^

called Charles of Anjou into Italy, to depofe Man-
iffcd if poffible, they fent Deputies to his Holinefir
With a tender of their fervice, whkh the Pope not
piily accepted, but fent them a ft^ndard which the
Goclphs parried ever after in their wars, ai^d js ufcd
by the Florentines at this time.

After this Manfred was not only defeats) by
Charles, b«t deprived of bis Kingdom and llaiii ♦ ;
and as the Guelphs of Florence had no fmall (hare in
jhat aftion, their party grew daily bolder and more
vigorous, and that of the Ghibelines ftill weaker and
weaker. Upon which, Count Guido Novello, and
thofe that were left in commtffion with him to go*
yern Florence, refolved to try if it was poffible by
ienity'and gentler treatment, to recover the affe^Hont*
of the people, whom they found they had exafpe-
rated to the laft degree by their oppreffive and violent
ihanner of proceeding. But thofe favours, which, if

- * Thh Manfred was a baftard fan of thc'Eroperor Frederick IL If
ie faid, ^e fmothcred his father in his bed j and afterwards cau{«d
Coni-ad^ fon pf the faid Emperor, to be poifoned. Conrade left a
fon> whofe name was Conradine, to whom Manfred made himfelf
|;tìaixiiaa. .At laft he pofiefied bimfelf of the kingdom of, Sicilf;
which he governed eleven years in cohftant troubles and divifìons*
He quarrelled with Pope Innocent IV. carried the war into his do*
minions,'^ and routed his forces in DtcdaC^r 1154, by the help of the
£ai*acens of Liqria. Afterwards he took the country of Fondi from
|hc Church, and was excommunicated by the Popes Urban IV. and
Clement IV. /lit former of which Pontils called Charles of Anjou into
ltB>y* aiKl invefted hivi with the Kingdoms of Naples and Sicily, ia
order to make war upon Manfred, as an enemy to' the Church. It is
reported, that he made an overture of peace to Charles 5 to which,
that WigiCe ictnrned the /dllov^ng anfwer : lu & renunàaté Sultatf
JtUcftiiu^ ,((b he called Manfred, with whom the Saracens of Lauria or
l^iceria had joined them felves) me 'vel brevi ipfutn in infernum detrufu^
'turn, ^el ipjkm meht paradijìim iottocaUarum, ** Go and tdl the Sultaa
•pf Lxiceria, that I will very foon either fend hiro to hell, or he ihaJl
fend me to Heaven.** Accordingly they came to an engagement on
the plain of Benevento, February 26, 1 166 5 in which Mbinfred loft
•kift life, and was found covered a)l over with blood and dirt. He was
.thi'owQ into a ditch near the Bridge of Benevento, becauiè he was
excommunicated, and afterwards, as a modern author fays, Pope
dement caufed his body to be carried out of the Chnrch-bmaB.
Manfred had given his daughter Conftantia in marriiige to Peter III.
• of Arragón, in the year 1262 5 and upon this match, the Princes of
that family founded their pretcnfiona to tba kii|igdèm of Mi^kf • Col«
iemicio. wU N«ap«

they

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fi THE HI STO RY^ Book IL

thcy {lad beep properly appdicd» and before they ^
^♦crc extorted by neceffity, might poffibly have haii ..
a* good efFcét, were now conferred with fo bad 9^
gracev that mftead of doing them atìy fervice» they .
ctoly cohtriijutcd K) haften their rigiri. To jcajole and
ingratiate themfelves with the people, they, thoughl;
•kwoirid beTufficient if they gave them, b^ck forno
pzfvoi. thofe privileges and that autbority- which they>
ìaà robbed them of. For which purpofe,. they chole
&À and -thirty citizeps-out of the people of Florenc<e,^
zaà two gentlemen of higher rank frpm ^aiongft their
firkccds at Bologna, to whom they gave a oommifljoa
i(^. reform the State as they pk^fcd, Thefc Dele-.
gateSi' at their firft meetir^, divided the city into
riiftinél Arcs or Trades, over each of which they con-
fiatuJted a. Magiftrate, who was to adminifter juftice to
all' that were 'in his department; and to every art a
fcparate banner was affigned^ uoder which they might
aflcmble in arms whenever the fafety of the public
leqaired it. ^t firft thefc Arts or Companies were
twelve, fcven greater, and five lefs : but the lefs be-t
|»g 'afterwards augmented to fourteen, the whole num-
htr amounted to twenty-one, and continue foto be a$
jprcfent.

The reformers proceeding to make other ialte/ation*

Ki;e wife for the common good, Count Guido, who

tbo^^ght himfclf obliged to mak?: (ome pròvifìon fof

his foldiers^, caufed a* tax to be laid upon the citi^eni

for that purpofe, but met with fo much oppofitip^

In the matter, that he never durft ufe any compulfivè

means to cqlleft it. So that perceiving all would bfj

loft, if he did not take fome meafures to prevent it,

^he held a prhrate confultation with the chiefs of the

:GhibeUne faélioG, in which ip was refolved to tak^

'thatbatk again from the people which he had fo ii>-

confiderately given thetfi; and if it ihould be necef-

•fary, even by force of arms. Accordingly, when he

thought he bad made fufficient preparations for the

-Jcxecuripn bf.big.deXign, he took an opportunity of

raifing a tumult whilft the thirty-fix jefbrmcrs weuc

^ fitting J

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fioolc if. OF F L O R É N Cf E. §|

fitting ; at which they were fo frighted that they re-
tired to their houfes. But the enfigns of the fcvéral
arts being immediately dilplayed, the people repaired
to them in arms, andundcrftariding that Count Guido
and his party were at St. John^s, they made a ftand
near Trinity Church, and chofe Giovanni Soldaniert
for theJr leader. The Count, on the other hand,
having notice, where they had potted themfclves, in-
ftantly advanced to attack them ; and the people not
declining an engagement, they met near a place that
is now called la Loggia de Tornaquinci, where the
Count was worfted and moft of his party Saio,
Daunted at this repulfe, and apprehenfive that the
enemy would fall upon him again in the night and
murder him, now he had fo few fortes to truft to,
and thofe beaten and diftnayed, he refolved to feve
himfelf by flight; and his fears were fo violent that»
even contrary to the perfnafion of the heads of the
Ghibeline party, he retired in all hafte to Prato, wkh
what men he had left. However, as fobn as he found
himfcif in a place of fecurity and had recovered hk
fpirits, he was fenfible of his error ; and being tìc-
firous to retrieve his reputation, ^he marched back
early the next morning to Florence, in hopes of re-
gaining that with honour which he had loft with.
io much ignominy. But he was difappointed in that
defign alfo ; for though perhaps it might have heea
very difficult to drive him out of the city, the people
found it no hard matter to keep him oqt when he
was fo : fo that he was forced to draw off once mone
•with infinite difgrace and chagrin to Cafentino, and
the Ghibelines retired to other towijis that were of their
party.

The people having thu5 got the upper hand, re-
iblvcd to unite the city again if poffiblc, and by the
advice of thofe that wifhed well to the commonwealth,
to recall all fuch citizens as had been forced to leave
their "honwrs, whether they were Guelphs or Ghibe-
iipes. In confcquence of which, the GuHphs re-
turned, fix years after they had been banifhed, the

late

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$4 t H E H I. S t Ò R Y Book IL

late attempt of the Ghibclines was pardoned, and
théf were fuffcred to come back again. But they
ftiU continued very odious both to the Guelphs and
the people *, the former not being able to forgive the
difgrace and hardfhips of their long exile, nor the
latter to forget their infolence and tyranrty when they
had the governtpent in their hands : fo that their an-
cient animofities were not yet entirely extinguiibed
either on one fide or the other.

Whilft the affairs of Flotence were in this fituation,
a rumour was fpread, that Conradine, nephew ta
Manfred, was marching with an army out of Ger*
many to invade the Kingdom of Naples : at which
news, the Ghibclines began to conceive frcfli hopes
of recovering their former authority j and the
Guelphs being no lefs follicitojus to fecurc thcmfelves
aga'mft the attempts of their enemies, applied to King
Charles for afflftance, in cafe Conradine Ihould ac-
tually come. This requcft being granted, his forces
immediately began their march: upon which, the
Guelphs grew fo infolent, and the courage of the
Ghibclines was damped to fuch a degree, that they
jQed out of the xity two davs before the arrivai c^
thofe fijccours.. After the departure of the Ghibc-^
fines, the Florentines new modelled their city, and
chofe twelve principal Magiftrates, who were to con-
tìnue in authority no longer than two moi)tbs, not
under the title of Anziani, but that of Buonhuo-
minL Next in power under them, they appointed a
councH of eighty Citizens, which they called the.
Credenza. After this, an hundred and eighty more
tKrcele&ed out of the people, thirty to ferve every
two months ; who, together with the Credenza, and
the twelve Buonhuomini, were called the General
Cotmcil. Beiides which, they inftituted another coun-
cil, confiftiog of m hundred and twenty members,
ci{uaUy chofcn out of the Nobility, Citizens, and
Commonalty, which was to confirm whatfoever had
been rdblved upon by the others, and to aft jointly
with tbem in dUpofin^ of the publk: honours ^nd of-
fices

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Boot IL or F L ÒR è N C £• ^

&ces (^ the comm^wealth. Hwittg in thfs iHaiiMr
fortified tbicmfelves againft the machHtattofls of cbr
Ghibcl'me3»^ by new taws, and creating magiAiaiises
only of the Gi^lph party, they dirided the goods
and eftates of the Ghihelines into three parts ^ o«e
of which was confifcated for publiiù uiès, anotlier np^
propriated to the fupport of their Magtftriccs «mt
^ther Officers, and the third dtftributed araiongft the
Gueiphs, in conftderation of the ìoGès they h^ iiiC^
tained. The Pope likewife, tofecure T«)icany to the
Guelph fadion, made King Charles Imperial Vicar<tf
that Province.

Whilft the Florentines thus maintained tfaek hi^
«our and reputation abroad, by the valour of thdr
• arms, and at home by this new form of gùveraiaca^
ihc Pope died, and the vacancy was not filled up till
after a conteft that lafted two years, at the end df
which Gregory X. was chofcn, who being in Syria
at the time of his eledion, (where he iud re&kd
many years, without concerning himielf in the i»-
trigues of fadion) and an enemy to difcord of att
kinds, did not Ihew the lame partiality to the Guelpfa»
that bis predeceifors had done. And therefore, wfacof
he arrived at Florence, in his way to France, tfai«k*
ing it the duty of a good paftor to ufe his endcavou»
to re-unite the city, and compofe all differences, be
prevailed upon the Florentines to receive commiT-
fioners from the Ghibelines, to negotiate the terais
«pon which they thould return : but, notwithftand-
ing an accomnK)dation was concluded betwixt the
two parties, the Qhibciines were fo fufpicious, tiiac
ihey would not co tie back again* The caufe of this
refufal was laid to the charge of the city, and enraged
tòe Pope to fuch a degree, that he excommunicated
it ; under which fcenfure it continued, as long as h^
lived -, but after his death, when- Innocent V. was
ele&ed, it was taken off*. Innocent was fucceeded by
Nicholas III. of the houfe of Urfini r and as the
Popes were always jealous .of any confiderable power
in Italy (thou^ raifed by the favour of the Church)

ana

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9é THE HISTORY Book IL

and Mhftantly cndejtvolired to dcpfcfs it^ great com-i
motions and frequent changes cnfucd. For the dread
of any one that was grown potent, occafioned the ex-t
altation of another that was weaker than him^ who
growing powerful alfo by his' advancement, became
equally formidable, and was fure to be humbled in
in his turn, if poffiblc. This was the octafion of the
Kingdom of Naples being taken from Manfred, and
given to Charles. And when Charles was afterwards
thought too ftrong by this acquifition, his ruin was
alfo confpired : for Nicholas III. moved by this con-
fideration, fo contrived matters, that Charles was re»*
moved from the government of Tufcany by the Em-
peror, and Latino, the Pope's Legate^ fcnt thither ia
his room, by a commiffion from that Prince.

The government of Florence, was fallen into great
diforder and mifrule at this time ; for the Guelph
nobility were grown fo infolent, and flood in fo little
aWe of the magiftracy, that though many murders
and other afts of violence were*daily committed, yet
the criminals generally efcaped with impunity, through
the favopr of one or other of the Nobles. To reftrain
thefe enormities, the heads of the city thought it no
bad expedient to recall thofe that were banilhed ;
which gave the Legate an opportunity of interpofing
his authority and good offices for the re- un ion of the
city, and' the return of the Ghibclines. This being
happily efFeded, inftead of twelve governors, they
refolved to have fourteen, fevcn of each party, who
fhould be nominated by the Pope, and remain in of-
fice no longer than one year. Under this form of
government, the city continued for the fpace of two
years; when Martin, a Frenchman, was created
Pope, and reftorcd all the power and authority to
King Charles that had been taken from him by Pope
Nicholas. Upon which, the rage of fe6lion fuddenly
blazed out again in Tufcany : for the Florentines rofc
in arms againft the Emperor's deputy, and put the
city under a new regulation, to curb the ambition of
the Ghibelines, and the infolence of the nobility»

In

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Book II. of; FLORENCE. gj

In the year 1282, the companies of the Arts and
Trades having for fonfie time ha^ magtftrates and
-colours of their own, were become fo relpcdable and
powerful, that they got a law paffcd by their autho-
rity, in which it was ordained, that inflrad of four-
teen citizens, three only (hould govern the, common- '
wealth, and that for no longer than two months ;
who were to be chofcn indifferently out of the nobi-
lity or commons, provided th^y were merchants, or
profefled any art or occupation : and thefc were called
Priori. Afterwards, the chief magiftracy was vefted
in fix perfons, one for each ward, under which regu-
lation the city continued till the year 1342 ; when it
was divided into Quarters, and the number of the
Priori reduced to nine, which by fome accident or
other, during this period, had been fometimes aug-
mented to twelve. This inttitution, in time, occa- '
fioncd the ruin of the nobility, who, upon divers
provocations, Avere excluded, and at lad entirely fup*
preflcd by the people. The nobility, indeed, con-
icnted to it, becaufe they were at that time divided
amongft themfclvcs : but by endeavouring to fupplant
each other, and afpiring to the fole government of
the commonwealth, they quite loft all (hare in it.
There was likewife a palace fet apart for the conftant
rtfidence of thefé magiftrates, and the meeting of
the council ; whereas, before, they both ufed to af-
fembfe in fome one or other of the churches. Bcfides*
which, they had ferjeants, and other neceflary officers,'
appointed to attend them there, to create greater re-
verence and refpeft in the people. And though at
fkft they had Only the title of Priori, they were af-
terwards diftinguifhed by the name of Signori or Sig-
niory.

The Florentines, after this, continued quiet at
home for fome time ; during which, they made war
iipon the people of Arezzo, (for having expelled the
Gutflphs their city) and gained a confiderable viftory
over them at Carnpaldino. And as the City now be-
g^n to grow very tich^ and full of inhabitants, it was
Vol, L H thought

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ì^t TH E H I S. T; O R Y Boofc;ir>"

tlijought proper to b^uild new^^ walls, and extend the
bounds of it, which tbey did, toils prefent circumfe*.
rcpce ^ forche former dameter reached only frppi the .
old Bifidge tq the church of St. Laurence»

War abroad, and peace at hpme, had npw al,mpft:
cxtinguiib^d the two fa£fcions o( Guelph? and Ghibc-
lines in Florence j apd there remained only fome,
fparks of animpfny betwixt the npbility.aod conan?Q- .
n^lty, which are incideni; to all 'Repu blinks; for one ;
fide bejng n^tprallyjealqus of.any incrpiac^hiifì^nt up-
OQ their liberty apd legal rights,, aod the other atpbi-
tious to rule, .and ;coni;roul tb^ laws, it is npt . ppi^We.
they.ftp.uld cvct; long agree together.

Thjs hypipur did noe (hewjtfclf ii) the npbiUt^»,

hpwever, \whilft. they were. oyer-awf^d by the Gfjibp-^:

linesij b^j wjien the latter w^r^cdeprepTed, it beg^yij

tOc appear, aind, the ^ peopje Wi?re daijy^ injured aqdi

atHifejJ in /uch a m^nner„ that npith^r, the Unì^s nart

tbfs m^giftfacy h^cj authority eijpugb .to relieve,tbew^;

as evpry npblern^q fiippprte^d hiipf(?lf in. his infoleffcjef,

bjf.thp numbei; of his friends and; rel^tipn^, botKi

againft^tlje. power of ithc.Signp^y, and the C^ptai^-of-

tbg people. The^ h^ads of the Arts therefore, to rer >

lOfidy; fo grcat^^n evil, provijded that every .Sigpipry,,;

inthe beginning of its office, (hould. appoint a GpR-^

f^lpnier^ ditjGiuftizia,. or Staqdard-bearcr of Jyftic?,.

oijt of ^bc;, people, with a thoufand men, divided in^p;

twenty conppanies, under, hiin^ wJiQ were, to ,bc, aj-^^

v{9y$ ready with their ftapdard gnd iq ?rrps, wheppver^

thw?y were ordered, by the magiftracy; and the^firft-:

tfefit filled this office, was Ubaldo Ruffpli, whq dre^v

cut his con)panies„ and dem^Jifhed the houfes of jthcf^

Gallati, becaufe ppe of that fan^ily had kJHed.a feU}

low citizen in France. The Arts did not meet^^ifh»

iriuch op^ofition in jhis eftablifl^m^nt» on recoup? iof

tùejealoufy and emulation th^t reigned, aniongft -f hftl

«[obility, who were pot in the leaft aware that it.waji

iieyelled at them, till. they fcJt the; fnyirt of it •, .aivj,*

then indeed, jthey were not^.a little awed by .it-fcwcLt

foincpriie : bgt in. a whiie tlwy jfeWrr^4 to the CPW*.

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miflìon ofthWr'fbrmet omragefe : R)r:a$fome'of thérrf
alWays fóirrtd-mearis^ tO/irrfìnua'tr tBc?rifelve^^ into' the/ •
Signibry, thcy tìad it in thcir' power to' prevtriit 'tli§
Gonfalònrét- front executing' hrs cfficfc.' Béfidéj^, aS(
Witiiéffés w'cre^ ai ways 'required uffoiVany'accafàtió'n,^
tHfc'fylaintitfcduld'hai^dly ever fihd'ariy one that dòrff
givc'evidctìcre agkin'ft.' the nobHtty;: (o thàt ih afliort?
rime; FlòrenVife'w'ai inyólvéd in ite jformer diftraafons,;
aiid^ tli'e' people afj^àìri expòfe^' tÒ/vfòlencè and op-;
l^t-feffion-, àSj\:ffticc*\yà§^growh;dìkfory, àhd (éntttìjce'l
thoiìgh pyflè'di' fclàprtì òr hèvet' executed; Thè
peopté'thercfóré/not knowing VvKat eòo rfc to tkìitìd
th)efe' circu^rffftahdes. Giano dèlia Bèlja/ a ftrenuou^
Patriot^ (tHough'bf a 'ver^'nofble' family
ttìe * heads òf niè' 'Arts once moretto refe
and ^f his^à'dy?cy,: if was. etiaététlj th'A
hiéf mould^aì^ay^yeficjrf wft:h''thè*S(gfiiÌ^
four thtìufend àf'ii^td meri *un'(Ìer,hi.$ rbtfi
Ilkfewlfe erir^ftìy'txciludea the Nobility
tóiìncìl, àhdf'^'màdé à Law,* 'that' ali
abettors flìould Be liaWe to the farfirpu;
thòfc that wiere' principals in arty Crime
that common Fame flbfould be fufficier
coh^'ft them.' B^ théfe Laws; whìch*^
Ordinamenti dtTla Gioftizta, ' the people gained great
weight and authariiy:btlt' Giano dèlia Bella being'
looked upon by the Nobility aà the author and con-
triver of them to bridle their power, became very
odious; not only to them, but to die richeft of the
Commonalty*, who begah to think his authority tod
gfeat, as they plainly ftieWed on the firft occafion that
offered. For not long after, it happened that one of
the Commons' was 'killed in a fray, wherein fcveral of

• It has been a comrtion piece of policy -in all Republics, to iKf-
^o^^i^Rafice and even to deprefs fuch a» are Mmarkably eminait for
virtues ot any kind whatfoever. A bra^^e ptian ia fsre to be brow-
beaten; and if a perfon is à little more hofpitable or charitable thaiji
Ills 'i^eigkbourt, he is in danger of the State ihquiiition, left his vir*
tvies, or even the appearance of them, (bould make him popular» arid
enable him to change the form of government. Such is the eovy
^d jealoufy th«ititì>ttAklIf. incident to Commonwealths.

Ha ■. , the

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tofy T H E H I S T O R^Y Book Ih

tJic Nobility were engaged, and Corfo Donati amongft
the reft, to whofc charge the murder was laid, a» the
moft aftivc and defpcrate of them, Upop which, he
was taken into ci*ftody by the Captain of the people ::
but whether he was innocent of the fad, or the Capr
tain was afraid of condemning him, or whatever elfe
might be the reafpn, I^ was acquitted ^ which io en*-
raged the people, that they preiently took up arms,
and ran to the houfe of Gi^no della Beila,, entreating,
him to ufe his endeavours, that the L^ws' which he
had been the author of, alight be dufy put in exe-»
cution. Giano was defirous that Donati (faould be
puniflied, and therefore, inftead of exhorting the
people to lay down their arms, as many thought he
ought to^ have done, he advifed them to complain ta
the Signjory, s^nd demand juftice of tliem. But the
wereincrnfed to the laft degree, think-
es abuied by their Captain, and aban-
iano, did not addreis themfeives to the
they were direded; but ran furiouflly to
; palace and plundered it; A manner of
that was exceedingly refented by the
and . the blame of it being laid upon
tch as meditated hiss ruin, Ibme of his
> afterwards happened to be in the Sig-;
d him to the Captain, as an encourager
and infurreftion. Whilft his caufe was
depending, the people took arms, and aiTembled in
great numbers before his houfe, offering to protei
him againft the Signiory and all his other enemies :
but Giano not caring to truil to the favour of the po-
pulace» nor to commit his life to the. determination
of the magift rates, as he feared the .malevolence of
the one, no lefs than the iicklenels of the other, re-
folved to fccure himfclf agàinft the jealoufy of his
enemies^ and his country from the rage of his friends»,
by giving way to envy, and voluntarily banifhing
himfelf from a city» which he alone had fo generoufly
delivered from the tyranny of the Nobility, at the im-
xninent t\az.ard of hÌ3 own life and fortune.

After

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Book H. OF > L Ò R E N C E. iot

• After his departure, the Nobility, in hopes of "re-
covering their authority which they conceived tfiey
iiad loft by diflenfions amongft themfelves, agreed to
«bite, and fént two of thtir body to cnttcat the Stg-»'
niory, (whkh they thought was in then* intcreft) that'
they would be pleafcd, in fomc meafure, to niitigatc
the afperity of the laws that had been made againft
them. But as foon as this petition came to be pub-
^ckly icnown, the Commons apprjchendrng the Sig-
niory would comply wirh it, immediately rofe in a
tumultuous manner : fo that ambition on one fide»
and jealoufy on the other, at iall occaikmed a|i open
rupture bétw}ict,them. The Nobility were drawn up
in three bodies, at St. John's, in the New Market,
and the Piazzra de Mozzi, and were commanded by
Forefc Adirtari, Vanni de Mozzi and GCfì Spini :
the people Hkewife affembled under their colours in
great numbers before the palace of the Signiory,
(which at that time was not far from the Church of
St. Procolo) and 4>cmg fufpicious of the Signiory,
they appointed fix other citizens to a£l in concert with
them. Ifl the mean time, whilft each party was pre-
paring for an engagement, ibme, both of the Nobi-
lity and Commons, wkh certain ecclefiafticks that were
5n great eftcem, interpofed their good offices to ac-
KTommodate matters betwixt them j reprcfcnting to
the Nobility, ** that the loft of their authority, and
the laws tHat were made to cfurb them, were entirely
owing to their own arrogance and tyrannical gpvern-
ment : that to take up arms in fuch a junékire, and
have recòurfe to violence for the recovery of ^hat
ritey had forfeited by their diffenfions and intolerable
behaviour, would be to ruin their country a^d aggra-
vate their prefent misfortunes: that they ought to
confider the orfver -party was much fuperior to them
in numbers, riches, and |K>pularity : that their No-
bility, which they vainly' imagined fet them fo far
above others, was but an empty name, and would
(land them in Tittle ftead when they came to blows
with ao enen^y that had fo many advantages over

H 3 , them/'

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ti

itìx T « ^ H I rs >r p iR y , Bfiok iiT

*f iow ifpprucicntit jW(^ijJd,be in.jjicrp 'tjC>*c»rr.yrtl?i>i>g%

SC3^tcemitkSr^nid.ic}ri|ve.tH^ir coQfpi^s^tp d^^Jftir,
. ic^ thofe tK^t.^9pc no good, |fp^r,/po ,cvil : .that ift
Cjtigfht to .be cjemeqfib^red that it wfts* :th^;Nojl5fUiiiy:^
chf^fty which had gained their city fpch .t^pvitM^pn !;>jf;
tjfeir bribery \a the l^tc war|» ar^i tl^y^Q^gllt n^i;
tlj^^efpre, cither ìnTcafon or jullic^, to be pcrfecutc^l
With fuc|i a degree ,pf inyete^-acy : ;h^t thpqgh ìI\\cy
4àd paciqitly.liibiJPitted to be.cipcqladcd/rpni ;all (hare

^4p,tH?t.t|iey (hp^ld l^ at eveiy 4>pidy>,n?crcy, ^nd
fiatile to be driven ,ovft;^£,thcir country ,uppi?,anyjli*tlc
oifguft by virtue pf/fthp i>ew la?vs: tlv»t tJiey.wQuld
4o y^tìì to .moderate I, the rigour of^ them, (ftp al^
fqr^noe(]^ which mig^ pofljjbly ijidqqc thcin qn.thf

Sihfif Sìócto lay ,dowp their arnps) and jpot^be xafhly
prrii^d by ,tQo great ft tConfidqnice jn^thpir num-bci^s^
^p h^z^rd.tbe^ey^ntot a battle; finqc experjcACc J^4
fufficiently ifce^/i th^t a handful qf dejfpera^s mcp
iiiaa ^f^en prevailed aver a force fecmingj^ much f^r
jipyrjor to them." y^ripus were (the opinions of tbp
pe^e uppn th^fe jfejCr^onftr^^qe^. .^pixie ifi^e fcf
Cp(i;^ng imm^cdiateiy ,t;o.a batije^ ^s.^ ihì^gfhfitnk^
ppc tjme x)r other ^f Jieceffity j\^f>p^^^ ,^d thstf if:
ff^o^ld be better, to ,dp »it naw they w^erc prep9^e49
(than tp ftay till tl^eir ^pemies l>ad ftrengij^epfid xh€;pv
ffives more e^cftjUa^jy.:, yef if .^hc^j^f^^» ?ny bqpfis
jti^. y mitigation of the laws .wpjuld jcoi^^enjt ^^n»
Itheyil^ould be' ^it^g^ted i^ccpr^iiJ^y ; byjp /ucji i¥fts
^t^ttt^r rpride and infolc^nce, .thfi^t '}t wa^ ^«Wph to l^c
.|ipai«d they woyld neypr altpr thpir fla^u?nfr,Qf b^^»
.viour, except t^iey were con?ppllcd 'to it Ì)y dawnrìg^t
rfprce. Others that were more prudei:^t, af)d ipovdèraiiif t
/fought an altf^ration of thp laws could pot be a(*
4e;ided with any very bad confcquepce? t50 thcq? ;
but thft th^ i,0ue of a battle, if vafvcptf^fi)!;, migtt
,ÌM:oyp f^ital. This opinipp pijev^iJing, it w^s pf-
i^ainecj^ thfit po acc^iatipn Ijbpuld b^ admitted ^gainfft
f ^npbljPmflfi withqMt fjjfgpi^ry: CYÌ^nc^:tp f\:^Oft i| :

-DigitizedÌDy Google

ftòdkH. OF F L Ò 'R E N C £ ^o^

totJ though bòéh 'parties liaid down their "arms lipoh
«liefe CotìaitiéBs, 'yet they retained their former jea- .
loilfy'of éaeh other, arid began lo raife forces and for*
cify thehrfelvcs as faft as they could. TThe p^opfe
"èbWcVer thought fit to new model the govern me|rr
%lid reduce the nuiabef of ithe Slgniory, (astheyfuf-
pcded fome of that body ifktc too favoiifaBly i^-
^lihed to the NbbHityj) leaving the fuprenie authority
'Chiefly in the hands of -the Mancini, Magalotti, A^
ttovitt, Perozzi, and Ceretani.

Having thus fetded »the ttate in the year 129*, tK^
*t)e^an to bttUd atfecui'er iand bore naagnificcnt palace
-for ihe Si^niory, With a piazza or lai'ge area bcfofc
it, in the place wh^e the hpufes of the Uberti for-
merly flood. At>out the faine time, the foundaticin
of the publit prifons wà« alfa laid ; all whtch edifices
wefe finiflied in, a few years: fo that the city was
beveria a grcìatér fplendpr nor mor^e tiappy than kc
'€hat time*, as it abounded in pedple, riches, and rc-
piltatidn: for there were thirty thoufand Citizens at
4ibmc fit to bear arms, fevient'y thou^fand moVein tlieir
Wr/itories, and all the inhabitants of Tufcafiy, parAy
iaslfrfcnds, pà[rtTy as ftibfeiàs^ wéfe at its devotic/n.
And though rtierc were 'fómc Kttle fpark's of JealouTy
'frid envy Sill Vem'aintng l)etwixt the Nobility ahd the
fti)|^lé, yet they did hbt b^cfnly break out, òr produce
^hf bad èffeia, ftut every one lived<}uictly and peacic-
nMy With his riei^bbpr: arid had not this tranquil-
lity'at laft tJcfeW diftutbcd by frelh iittcords at honie,
it w^óùld *hiVc beeh m ho danger from any t>ther ene-
my 5 a^ 4t Was then in fó floUriftóng a condition, that
4t Afefther ftéa'red 'drc attfempts ^ thè 'eìcihès, noi- the
póWer 6f the E'ibpcrót, Wnd -cóura ^ haV^e brought a
hòóy'tìf forces into the Mdable to feàce thofe of ill
àhé other ffete's of MI^ put ^together, tliè mifchifef,
^hbWcver, #Wch foreign 'critefiites ^rfe m>t able to iio '
JAaitiv' Whitót tiiey dcfctlrtVietì ihùs united, ^kykiBHap.
.|)8y cfftàeki by ke*^ diirtfiòtes jrmdi!/èft yfiferfltelves. '• ^
There were two fapiiliea in Florence^- ^/le Cerchi
and Donati, Sóffi very èdhficieràblé fér their riches,
^- :-" H 4 iiobi-»

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;io4 THE HISTORY Book IL

nobility, and dependants; and as they were near
neigbbogrs both in. the city and country, there hap-
pened feyeral little difgufts betwixt them ; yet not of
iuch confequence as to produce an open rupiurc;
, and perhaps they might have entirely fubfided wUbout
difturbing the peace of the public, -if they had not
been revived by a ftrange and unexpefted accident. —
T he Cancellieri being one of the chief families in
^Plftoia, it happened that Lori the fon cf Guglielmo,
and (jjeri the fon of Bertacci^, both of that family,
being at play to^^ciher,- at lall fell into a difpute, and
from words proceeded to a rencounter, in which Geri
was (lightly wounded by the other. But when Gug-
lielmo heard of the quarrel, it gave him fò much un-
eafinefs that be ufed his utmolt endeavours* to recon-
cile them ; and infiftcd that his fon Ihoulci go co Geri's
father and ailc pardon, or at leaft make an apology
for what had happened^ This generous fubmiflTion,
however, only ierved to widen tie breach : for when
Lori went to wait upon his kinfman, according to
his father's defire, Beitaccio faid, ** he did not ihink
, that was fufficient fatìsfaétìon," but ordered his fcr-
vants fas an aggavation^to the indignity j to lay hold
on him and carry him into a liable, where they cut
off his right hand upon the manger, with this taunt,
*' You may now go back to your father, and tell
him, that exculcs won't do ; ftcej is the only remedy
in fuch cales." The barbarity of the fa£t enraged
Guglielmo and his friends to fuch a degree, that they
immediately took arms to revenge it : and Bertaccio
and his dependants doing the feme •, not only all that
fanpily,.but the whole city of Piftoia was engaged in
the quarrel, and divided into two parties. 1 bcfc
Cancellieri defcendcd from one of the lame name
who had two wives, one of whom was called Bianca,
' ^r Blanche; from whence that party that adhered .to
[' her poftcrity took the name of * Bianca; and the
other, in opposition/ diftinguifhed itfelf by th«i of

• Bianca iignlfies white^ and Nera black*

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t . Nera.

Book IL O F F L O R E N C E. 105

Nera. Many (kirmHhcs happened betwixt them, in
v/hich numbers of people loft their lives, and fome
families were entirely ruined: anfl as no expedient
could be found to recontile thefn (though both fides
were heartily fick of the quarrel) they determined to
come CO Florence, in hopes cither of putting an end
to it there,. by the meditation of their common friends,
or if that could not be cffeded, to ftrengthen their
refpcclive parties by drawing other families into them.
The Neri having an intimate friendfhip with the Do-
nati, were efpoufed by Corfo, the head of that fa-
mily : and the Bianchi, to balance that acquifition of
ftrcngth in their adverfaries, had recourfc to Veri,
the head of the Cerchi, for their aOiftance'; a roan of
no lels power than Corfo, nor inferior to him in* any
other rtfpecS whatf )cvcr.

Thefe l^arks of difcord, thus blown from Piftoia
to Florence, foon revived the former animofities be-
twixt the Cerchi and Donati, which began to blaze
out again with iuch fury, that the Signiory and others
of the principal citizens were under no fmall apprc-
henfion that the whole city would at laft become en-
gaged in the quarrel, and hourly cxpeded the two
parties would openly attack each other. They ap-
plied therefore to the Pope, and emreated him to
make ufe of his authority to compofe thofe differences,
. which it was not in their power to do : upon which
foUicitation, his Holinete lent for Veri to Rome, and
earneftly exhorted him to be reconciled to ,thc Do-^
nati. But Veri pretending to be furprized, faid
*' there was no quarrel of any kind betwixt them that
he knew of, and confequently there could not be any
occafion to exhort him to a reconciliation/' But not
long after his rccurn from Rome, their feuds increafed
to Iuch a height, that there only wanted an oppor-
tunity (which foon after happened) to make them burft
out into aflion In the month of May feveral holi-
days are publickly celebrated in Florence; on one of
which, fome young gentlemen of the Donati family
with their friends, all on horfe«back, (topped near

Tri-

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fo6 TIH E BISTORT «bok IL

ffrinity Gburcli to look dt^fbhic wdtntn 'that were
dancing :^ prefeBtly-after, as 111 fortune ^ould have it^
leverai of the Cerchi alfo arrived at the fa«ie place»
iwlth rtiarty of their acqliaintafncci and bejrtg defirous
«o gratify their cUricJficy in liketnlannery they fpurred
toll their hoTfe$, »ot knowing the Donati, Who were
foremoft in the crowd, and jollied in amongft them,
-The Danati therefore linking upon this as an aflFron»,
imnriediatcly drew thetr fwords ; and the Cerchi doing
4be fame, a flcirmifli epfucd, in which many were
jprounded on both fides*

This accident was the occafion of great mifchief :
for the whole City, as well Com hions as Nobility^ di-
vided upon it ; fonae taking .part 'with the Bianchi,
ymtà others with the Neri. .The heads of the Bbnoa
party were the Cerchi, who were joined by the Adi-
ifnari,. the Abbati, port of the Tofioghi, Bardi, Rolli,
i^-tefcobakii, Nerli, Mannelli, all the Mozzi, Stali,
:43berftrdÌDÌ, Cavalcanti, Malefphii, Boftichi, Gian-
^donatt. Vecchietti, and Ariguzzi^ who were followed
fcy maiay confidcrable fentiilics of the Commoners ami
-aà-the Ghibeline faftion in Florence: fo that in rfe-
ìgard to 'their numbers, they feemcd to have à great
-Iwtpcriority. The other fide was headed by the Do-
nati, ^nd fupporrcd by^ll.thofeof the aWve men-
tioftcd families who did not follow the Bianchi, toge-
ther with all the Pazzi, Vifdomini^ Manieri, Bagncfi,
; Tornaquihci, Spini, Bttondelmonti, Gianfigiiazti^
> -and Brunellefchi* Nor did this contagion confine k-
fctf to the city al©ne, but infeded all the cotmtry
rottnd in fuch à manner^ thit the Captains of the
Arts, and all thofe that favoured the Gudphi and.
iwere frict^.ds to the Commonwealth, began to be very
flfiucK afraid., this . new tómbuftion woutd throw die
city once more into the bands of die Ghibelincs; to
: its utuet rvliinji Ujpon wkifch they fent again to the
Pope, befeeching hitn toi provide fome remedy for
thefe diftraftions, : except .He had à iliind that their
city, which at all ^isnes had been the Bulwark of the
Church, jOkouildjdft^ be iKitaltycjcft df atleaft

be-

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?najc U. Q Ff (F t. 0]R E N C E Ibjl

i^f^tt\e (^hyt& <o the Ghibeliflies . Iln cdmpli tooe
iKHh their reqvieftv the Pope dUpflteKcd Matteo d*
Acqu^ Sparta, diPortuguezeCardiQAl, as his Oj^egate
toiElor^ncei who, finding rtbeparijrof the Bianchi
^.r^fraekofyandi confident in t)ien: nuaxtKrrs that thi^y;
fj&fii(ed tO)liftcn. tO;any. propofals :of .peace, J^t F4q-
«^i;)^e inra rage, and putiit under an interdid : fo that
k wa^iiVtgreater coni^ufionrafcer his .dcpartu^.thani^e-
fore lie came thither.,

Whilft :thc t^o parties were in this ferment, and

x'ipe for ian infurre^ion, it haf^ned ;that federal of

the Cerchi ^and Donati inex together :at a funeraU

3»h€te fonac angry words paflTed hecwbct them, and

inom wordiS they came to blovrs, though no greai:

imrni was done at that .time . on either fìde. But

-af^ervthcy had returned tto their houfes^ the Cerchi

jreiplyed to attack the Donati, and aflbmbled all their

jfrkfidis foiTithat purpofc : in which aOaiilt, howevciTt

•Xbey wete>»liandy repulfed by Corfo, and many of

ai^tn wounded. Upon this, the whole city took up

cftrtns, neither the power of jthc magiftracy, nor the

auitliosf rty of the laws .being able to rcftrain the fusy

(Of the «iiititude* The wifcft and bcft of the Citi-

.gens were in great terror : and the Donati being the

^weaker party, xiqt a little doubtful of tiieir fafety. It

:Hf0$ agreed thereifore, at a meeting; betwixt Corfo, the

iieads of the Neri^ and the Captamsof the Arts, that

j^ order ito fccure thcinìfclvea, it was tieccflary the Pope

tibouJd be.foilicited to fend fonìe perfon of royal ex-

itìradtìi)^ to ìrefornì the city -, imagining this would be

.the maft.e^&Sual waiy to get the better of their ene-

miea. This meeting, and ihe refuk of it» was notified

^to itbe Signiory by the other party^ who ^reprelemed

. i( as a confpiracy againll their liberty. So that both

Jidoi^ beitdg now in arms again, the Stgniory by the

advice of Dante ('who at that time was^one of them)

i^dly idrew oat their companies, and being joined by

gweat nuoiberaoutofite country^ fooofbrccd the ehiets

of «aich party tt> lay dbwn their arms : after which,

:^ey fattfìiibed Cosfo Intanati and inany of the Neri.

Ani

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*oS T H E HI STORY Book II.

And to (hew that they adfd with wnpartiality, they
Itkewife banifhed fcvcral of thic Bianchi, who not long^
after were fuffcred to return upon one plaufibJc pre-
fCRce or other. Corfo dnd his a^ociates were a](b in-
dulged in the fanfie manner : and taking it for granted
thac the Pope -«^ras their friend, they went direftly to
Rome, in hopes of being able toperfoade him to that
in a pcrfonal conference^ for which they had lately pc-
tttbned his Holincfs in their letters»

Charles of Vaìoisi brother to the King of France,
fcappeiid to be then at the Court of Ronne, being in*-
vked into Italy by the King of Naples to make a de-
fcent wpon Sicily, The Pope therefore thought fie
(as he was fo much importuned by the Florentines} to
lend this Prince to ftay at Florence till the fe&fon of
the year was more proper for navigation. In confc-
quence of which deputation He went to that city : and
though the Bianchi, who then had the upper hand
there, looked upon him with an evil eye, yet as he
was Patron of the Guclphs and fent by the Pope, they
dorft not oppofc his coming: on the contrary, to
\fnake him their friend, they gave him full power to
ffeg%))ate the city as he thought beft. jHe was no
fooner veiled with his authority bujt |ie caufi^d all his
friends and partizans to arm themlelves^ V.hich made
the people io jealous that he intended to d^>rive them
of their liberty, that they alfo took arms, and every
man was ready to oppofc him if he ihould tpake any
fuch attempt. The Cerchi and the heads of the
Bianchi having 4iad the chief government of the city
fome time in their hands» and behaved with great ar^
rogance, were become generally odious ; which en*
couraged Corfo and others of the Neri who had fled^
to return to Florence, upon an affurance that Charles
and the Captains of the Arts were their friends and
would fupport them. Accordingly whilft the city
was thus alarmed with the apprehenfions of Charleses
defigns, Corfo, with all his aflbciates, and many
other of their foltowers made their entry into it with-
^out any fort of rcfitbuice: and though Veri de Carchi
- .' was

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Book IL O F F L O R E N C E. ibj

was <allcd upon i^ eppofe thctn, he dtclincd it, and
laid, ** the people of Florence tnighc even dutftife
tbem themfclvcs if tl>cy pleafe4 «s they were likelf
to be the gréarcft fuffcrers by them.** B«ic that io^
ikHJatioi) had no e&e& ; for kiftead of chaftififig them,
they received them wkh open arms, whilft Veri W4w
forced to fly for his fafety. For Coffo having forced
bis entrance at the .Porta Fìnti, di'eW up and made «
fiand over againit St. Pietro Maggiore, not far frcnn
bis own houses and being joined by a great auniberof
his friends 4nd otiiers that had aflcmbkd tbere ia
hopes of a change of government, he in cbe firft place
releafed aU prifoners, upon what account, aad faf.
whomfoever they had been committed : after whtdi
be diveftedjth^ Signiory of their authority, and chofe
liew magiftrates (ail of the party of the Neri) one of
the ptople tp fupply their places. He then pkuH
<kred the houfes of the chiefs of the Bianchi, for fi«c
days toother 5 during which time, the Cerchi and che
heads of that Faftic^n feeing the people for the tnoft
pare their enemy, and Charles by no means their
tftend, fled out of the city into fiich flrong places as
they were poflTefled of : and though they would ««
lilten to the ^xhofrtaùops of the Pope before, they
were now fprced to implofe his afliftance; reprefcac-
ing to his Holiiiefe that the arrival of Charles then
had been fo far from uniting the city, (hat it had
thrown it into fl^ill greater diftra^ion. The Pope
therefore again knt his Legate Acqpa Sparta to Flo-
rence, who not only made an accommodation betwixC
the Cerchi and Donati, but fortijBed it by fevcral in-
ternoarriages in thofe families. Neverthelefs, when
he infifted that the Bianchi ihould (hare in the chief
offices of the comoaonwealth, and that was refufed bf
the Neri, who were then in foil poflfefljon of them, 1^,
left the city with as much diflatisfadipn as he had
done befc^e, ^d excommunicated it a fecond time
for its contumacy. The Ner^ on the other hand^i
ieeing their old enemies in their bofom again, were
not a Uttlà afraid they would ufe all means ta> ruin

them.

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Ita T HIE H rS T O R Y BSjoMIE

dwm,. Iti otdcv tot recover their former' aothotityj
Uhiiìs both parries were ftiil difcoftt€!n»d.' and ais if
thefeantmafitic8?\n«5re not fuffiden* tocftflamc thtcityi
frefliocc^fions of diicord conc>nti^lI]r happerVed. *
r AsjNkcoìòde^Cerchi wastgomg one cky Mricli iW
veralof .'his frrends^toi hfe feat in the' country, he way
tl&altcd by^Simonei the fon of Corfo Donati, at the
IkMitc ud Afrh;o. The (kirmifti was iliàrp and bloody-,
fw/Nhxolò was>kiIledóipoft the fpot^ and Simone fe
defpcraticly wounded that he died the- fttrief night.^
This: accident threv^ die w*ioIe> c!i?y into^an uptoa^
agam>, and though indeed it was yiltogeiher owirtg tèi
the Neri, yet they were fkreened'^by the màgiftracy :
and before judgn^eni could be obtained, a^onfpiracy
tmsfaid to be difco^^cred betwixt thè Bianchi and
Bietw Ferpante fa nobleman that attended Charles of
VaksHs) with whom rhey had been tampering ' to p^r-»
fiwde-his^mafter to^reinlkte them in the governmemJif
T4ifei^plotiwas^et4éted by ifi>me letters ftom' thfe Cér->
dù'to- Pietro i though it was the comWh opinion
they -were forged by the Donati^ to '^i^peioff thè òdt4
um thèy:had incurred 'by the mtirde^'of ' Niecol^Cei^i
chi. However?, all the family of! the GerèW, with
many of tbtir followers t of the Bknea p^àrty (and
amongft the reft Dante nbe poetj? wert* immediately
fcttt into banifti men t^ their eftaftes confifcated, and
their houfes demoliihed J after which their party; witH
many of the Ghibelincf who had joined them, were
difperfcd and Icatiered up» and dòw<ri in different
jplaces, where they waited in hopes that fothe* new
commotion might afford them ^n oppèftUrtity of re-t
jpairrfig their loffes. And Charles* having executed
fhte'defign of his errand to Florence, left that 'city
and >vent back to Rome,- that he might prdftcute hi*
expedition into Sicily i in* which he ptocecded with
no^Jefsf imprudence and ilt fuccefs than he had done
In^the affairs of Florence: fo that afti^ he had loft
inany of his men, hereturntfd with' irifinite dilgràcè
and contempt into France; ^ -

After

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, Aft^ tl^Q.djepaftur^of.Charies^.FlareMc continucdi
tpkraJWy qMJejJbrf(imejtiiW:i though Gorfo/Donadi
^as.fti:H;diflratjs&d ^hs^K heidid i«^t cnjayi f^Ji ad«^
gfC^.oi.A^ihomf in i? as te tbicmght diuc toi his:a»**

the pcopk, and conduced by thofc that ^wGerc. mucfau

iQ^eriornt^ him in; aU; refp^^.^ filcafjwiraicd *at. this

nfigk^, I^OTcdiwed.r^wcngf : bijl to varnifb. oven

lHSid^%es \MÌt;h;afair iv^t^^t^ heiiaccufcd.feypral xi«i

tipf^5 wba. hid been intrj^ftedwitbahe public mxjncy^y

c^ C3Bn!a^»lÌ0g itf and appiying^it to'theironrjV' privala

uìcss ;ifQr.wbichi he faid^ they owght ta bei called t©,

ai^c^ufllv^uid puntihed. Xhis fcandal wa^ likewife ias

djaAtipwflyi.pJ'optigÉatied by %Ycr^l jothers wiotshad tho^

faQnc:viqw3 5 and m^ny were ignoiiant and crcdnloo»)

enough^, to believe that ' what.Gorlb. didy vats oucì^j

piure concern and aftcdicm for hfs • country*/ Boti

thrpexfons thu$. calumniated being ia favour with tbc^

pi^pple^ ftood upon their ,j,uftifkation : add thefedH^^

pm^h .after .raucJb 'litigation and. many procefles/ ;«r'

Uft gr^W; to fuch ^ height that it became abfoli^f *

neceffary. tò:talte.:up arms, . On .one fide, were Cotio-

and Lotti^ri, Bifliop of Florence, with many of the*

Nobilii^y^ and fome of the.Cofnmons 4 on tbe ath«-,

Wi^rejth«.Signiory.and the greatex:part of thepeopk^

f^ jhftiiXhf re. vva^ nothing xo be fcen but frays and fldr-

miflies in every part cJf the city* The Signioryi

therefore perceiving themfelvcs in: great dangery fent

toXucca^.fac aid,, and immediately all the people of

• '.The (\jr«^ way of gaining the coipjnonalty in democritical g«*»
vernments, js to rail violently at the adminiftration 5 and wheii other»
topics of^defamation are wanting to ambitious and difcontented men,
the,.i;haf:get .of .pccplatioo and embezzlement of the public money 1$'.
alyprays at hgnd, which, though a very ftale cry, is conflantlj liftened.
to with great eagerne& by the people, (whether true or falle) whofe
clamoi]rs.and refeatment it is calculated to excite ; as it eaiily lallt in*
witt thf comf laints of Jtard tims, heanjh^ ta^ces^ Sec, which ar« ufiial^
in every age, and under every government. The authors indeed>
Ibmetimes ^^iheir account hi 4t,* upder a weak adminitfrationt
but the people arc feldom or never the better for it under anv, nor kr
iti|itf|i4fld tìiev^ould be. But it fce^is grange, that theyihouldtbe
£0 «fiten gufled into difaffeaion and edition by fo trite an artifi<^e; an4
th0.«aìah^]&loCififtkìtioa.. . n

that

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112 THE HISTORY Book IL

that city came to their afliilance : by which means,
things were acconimodared for a time^ the tumults
compofed» and the people fatisSed with continuing in
poffeffion of their liberty and government, without
inSióking any punifhment upon the author of this
disturbance.

The Fopc had been informed of thefc broils at
Florence, and fcnt his Legate Niccolò da Prato thi*
ther to quiet them if poflfible; who, being a prelate
of great experience, addrefs, and reputation, foon
gained fuch an influence over the people, that they
gave him a commiflfion to ncw-model the city as he
pleafed. And as he rather inclined to favour the
Ghibelioe faftion, he propofcd to recall all thofe of
that party who had been baniihed : but thought it ne-
ceffary, in the firft place, to ingratiate himfelf ftill
further with the people, by reftoring their ancient
Companies, which added much to their ftrength, and
diminiihcd that of the Nobility. When he thought
he had thus fofficiently engaged their affeélionis, he
determined to bring back the exiles, and tried feveral
means to eflfefl: it ; but was fo far from fuccceding,
that he became obnoxious to the Governor*, and was
forced out of the city,, which he left in the utmoft
confufion, and was provoked to fuch a degree at the
treatment he had met with, that he put it under an
interdir at his departure.

Two faétions not being fuflicient, the city was now
divided and fubdivided into feveral» as thofe of the
People and Nobility, the Guelphs and theGhibelines,
the Bianchi and the Neri ; and fome who wilhed for
the return of the exiles, being difappointed in their
hopes now the Legate was gone, grew clamorous and
outrageous : fo that the whole city was in an uproar,
and many fkirmiflies enfued. Thofe that were jnoft
a£t.ive in raifing this clamoiir, were the Medici and
Giugni, who had openly fided with the Legate in fa«
vourof the exiles.

In the midft of thofe rencounters, which daily hap-'
pened in all parts of the town, a fire broke out» toadd.

to

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feoèktì. 'Ò* ^^.Ol^ Ek CE. 11^

Vo ^thèiV coÀìériotì, t^hich fpfèàd yrom the Òrto di
tì^MrcHete (vrfiérfe it tìrft began) to the hòufes of
Wife Abbati, àtìd 'ffòWi thertcè to thòfe of the Capon'-
feccttr, *^"hich 'twere kll btfrnt 'down to the ground, to-
tò^èV ^fl^kh the hrfufes òf the Nlàtd; Arnreri, t^ofchi,
Cf^Vtóh'i, Làtxftserti, Ca^valcànti, and ali the Oc,^)v Mar*
J:'et : frorti wh?!hcè the flàfties fpread to Porta di Skntà
MS^rià, Wtìjch Wàs entirely conili nfied ; and being
"drtVi'n try the wiqd toWàrdls the pfd Bridge, th^ey likc-
Wrfi dempWlbed the Thòiifo of thè Ghérardini, Pulci,
Atrrtidfei, Lucàrdefi, ànd fo inariy others, that thè
trónfibèf amò^unted to above 'thirte'en hiindred.

Mànv v(rert of 'opinion that this misfortune wastTie
fefiffeft ot atctdeht^ ahd tltat fòme houfes took fire by
fchahde, whiift the òwhérs of theYn were engaged in à
ikirrtótti whìdi happened at that time. Others af-
firm, th^t it wafs owing to tlie villàhy of Neri Abbati,
Prior of. St. Pietro Schèrag^o, à diffoluté and aban-
doned fellow, who, feeing every body fo bufily cm-
"pfóyed, took that opportunity of doihg a mifchief
for "^hich thfére coDld be no remedy ; and that i'c
thight fiacceed the better, arid ttialte him left fuf-
'peSfed, he aifo fetfire to thè hóu'fès df his own friends,
Vrhere he hard a convenience of doih^ it.

It was in July 1304, when Flol^nde was vifited in
'th?s lamentable Vnanner with fire 'and fword. At
Which time, Corfo Óonati WaS the only pei^fon of anj^
drftrnefion that did not take op arfn's in thofe tumults:
for "he thought that when all flde^ grew tired^f fight-
ing, and inclined to a reconciliation, he was the more
likely, upon that ètccoont, to be called in as an arbi-
Itator to decide their diflrereTice<i. Accordingly, thè)^
foaiì after Jaid do*rn their arms, tlìoàaìi more out oF
SWeàtinfeft òf tiièir mifctits, anfd t^^'t they might have
iAhtt to take brea!th, tf ah frorh ahy feal defife of be-
ing Tc-uhited, and living in peace : for iipon the whole,
it '^ai oiily ftipuhttd, t*hat the Exiles Òlould not bè
fdfirred to rettrrti •, Whrch Was àahrcfà to by thofe that
favoured thtm, àicre^y beóatrfé tnejr proved to bè thè
Wtakerfidc. •

Vol. I. I The

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The Legate, at his return to Rome, being informed
of thefe new difturbances at Florence, told the Pope,
that if he had any delire of compofing them, it would
be the beft way, in his opinion, to fend for twelve of
the principal malecontents of that City, and to detain
them at Rome for fome time: for when the fomenters
of thofe evils were removed, it would be an cafy
matter to extinguilh them. This advice was fo well
approved of by the Pope, that he pited the above-
mentioned number of thofe citizens to appear before
him, (amongft whom was Corfo Donati) who readily
obeyed the fummons. But as foon as they were fee
out .upon their journey, the Legate found means to
acquaint the Exiles, that if ever they hoped to return
to Florence, that was their time, as the City was then
clear of the only men that had authority enough to
oppofe their entrance. Upon this encouragement,
t^ie Citizens that had been banifbed, drawing together
what forces they could# immediately marched towards
Florence, and not only entered the city in that part
where the new walls were not yet thoroughly finimed,
but advanced as far as the Piazza di St. Giovanni.
It is certainly worthy of notice, that thofe very ci-
tizens, who but a little before had exerted themfclves
in the moft ftrenuous manner for their return, when
they petitioned in an. humble and fubmiffivc manner
Ito be re-admitted, were the firft that took up arms
againft them, now they faw them approach in ahoftile
manner, and joined with the people to drive them
back again, as they efFedually did j for fuch was the
fpirit of patriotifm amongft them in thofe days, that
they chearfully^ave up all private interefts and friend-
fhips for the fake of the publick good. Their mif-
.carriage in this attempt, may chiefly be imputed to
leaving part of their forces at Laftra, and not waiting
for Tolofetto Uberti, who was advancing with three
hundred horfe from Piftoia to their affiftance; as they
imagined expedition was of much greater importance
than numbers at that time : and indeed, it is certain^
that in fuch cafe's, a fair opportunity is often loft by

; dc-

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delay ; but at the fame time we muft confidcr, that
precipitate entcrprizes are fcldorti fupported by a pro-
per force.

After the Exiles were thus repulfed^ the Citizens re-

lapfed into their former diftradions : and in order to^

deprive the Cavalcanti of the authority which they

had affumed^ they feized upon theCaftleof Le Stinche,

io the Val de Greve, which had been in pofleflìon of

that family for a great number of years : and as thofe

who were then in this Caftle, were the firft that were

committed to the public prifon which had been lately

built, that edifice from thence took the name of Le

Stinche, which it ftill retains. The next ftep that the

governors of the commonwealth took, was to re-

eftablifii the Companies of the People, and to rettore

the Colours under which the Arts had formerly been

ufed to aflfemblc : the Captains, the Gonfaloniers, or

Standard-bearers of the Companies, and the Officers of

Juftice, were called together, and ordered not only

to aflift the Signiory in times of peace with their

counfel, but to fupport and defend them by dint of

arms in all exigencies and commotions. To affift the

two Judges who had been conftituted in the beginning

of their ftate, they appointed an officer, called il Ef-

fecutorCf or Sheriff, who was to aft in conjunftion

with the Gonfaloniers, and to fee their orders carried

into execution, whenever the Nobility fhould be guilty

of any enormity or aft of oppreffion.

But the Pope dying in the^ mean time, Corfo and
the other eleven Citizens, returned to Florence, where
they might all have lived in peace, if the reftlefs am-
bition of Corfo had not ocrafioned frclh troubles.
In order to make himfclf popular, he conftantly op-
pofed the Nobility in all their fchemes, and which way
foever he obferved the people to incline, he turned all
his authority to fupport them in it, and gain their af-
fcftions : fo that in all contefts and divifions, or when
they had any extraordinary point to carry, they al-
ways reforted to him, and put themfelves under his
direftioiis. This created him much hatred and envy

1 2 amongft

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U6 THE HISTORY Book U*

«mongfl: the mofl: coofidecable Cuizexxs, which at laft
increafcd to fuch a degree, th^t the fa^ipn of the
Neri divided and quarrelled amongft themfelves, when
they faw Corib avail himfelf in fuf h a manner of the
aflfe<^ons of the people, and join with the enemies of
tKe public to promote his own private views: ye€
fuch was the awe they Sood in of his perfon and au«
t^ofity, that every one was afraid of him, Howcvcf,
as the .moft likely way to alienate the affedtions of the
people from him,- they gave out, that he fecrctly de-
ijgoed to fei^e upon the government, and ms^ke him-
^If King; which it was no difficult matter to make
(hem believe, from his magnìfìcenr, anc^ indeed pro-
fufe, manner of living, which far exceeded thofe
bounds of moderation that ought not to be tranf-
^r€0èd by any private Citizen or Subjeét, and was cal-
culated, they fakl, to ferve iome dangerous pqrpofe.
And this fufpicion was not a little corroborated, when
they faw him, fopn after, married to a daughter of
Ugucciope della Faggiuola, head of the Bianchi anc(
Ghibelinesi and a man of very great int^rcft aiK|
power in Tufcany.

As foon as this alliance came to the knowledge of
his enemies, they grew fo bold upon it, that they
^>ok up arms again(t him -, and the greater part of
the people, i<iftead of appearing in his defence, for-
^ok him and joined his adverfaries; the chief of
whom were Roflb della Tofa, Pazziano de Pazzi,
Geri Spini, and Berto. Brunellefchi. The|e and their
friends, with a great multitude of armed men, affem-
bled at the ftcps of the Palace of the Signiory, by
whofe command an accufatioo was preferred againlt
Corlb to Pietro Branca, captain of the people, as a
Ipctfon* yihcj^ by the afliftance of Uguccione, afpired
to make himfelf abfokite. Upon which, impcach-
npent, being cited to appear before him,^ he refufecj
to obey the fummons ; and was therefore declared ^
contumacious rebel, in lefs than two hours after hf
h^à been accufcd. This fcntcnce bf ing pronounced^
the Signiory, with the Companies of tljc peopte unT

der

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Book n. OF FLORENCE. iif

der their fevenal eoldurt, went dircdly to "apprehend'
feim. Corfo, on the other hand, not in the leaft dif-
it)ày>ed, either at the rigour of the fentence, the air-
tborìty of tfee Signiory, the number of his enemies,
or the'incònftamìy of his friends^, maiiy of whom hatl
now deferred him, immediatery began to fortify his
houfe, 'Mn hopes of being able to defend, himfelf there,
till Ugtìcdone'(*o whom he had fent word of the deft-
perate cirtumftknces he was in) could come to his re-
lief. The avenues to his houfe were barricaded anrf
guarded by thofc of bis party that dill adhered tor
Sim, in fuch a nfranner, that though the aflkilants^
were numerous, they could not force their way through»
rtiem. Many were killed and wounded on both fides^
in this aébion, \^hich was very fliarp : at laft, the peo-
. pie finding they could not enter that way, got into^
the neighbouring houfes, and unexpeftedly brokrf
through the Wafls of them into his. Corfo feeing
Wmfelf thus fur rounded (Sn ^ fudden by his enernics,-
and tfeat^there was no hope of foccour from-Ugtic-
eione, nor any other refuge left, refolved to try if it
wa9 poflible to make his efcape.

Advancing», therefore, with Gherardo Bondini, antf
ibwe others of his mofl: refolute and faithful friends,
he rttad6 fo furious an attack upon the enemy, that
' he bW)ke through theitì, and fled out of the Port^
aKa Crucc. However, as they were clofely purfued;
Gherardo was killed by Boccaccio Caviciulli, upon
the Pbrtte ad Africo, and Corfo taken prifoner at Ro*
vezzano, by fome Catalan horfe that were in the pay •
of the Signiory. But as he could not endure thd
thoughts of being infulted, and perhaps torn to pieces
by a vi<ftoribu8 enemy, he threw hihifelf from hi^
horfe to the ground, as- they were bringing' Him back
t© Florence, where he was flain by one of the guards :
his body was afCenwards picked up by the monks of
St. Satwi and interred without any folcmnity, or fe-
puicbral honours. Such was the unfortunate end of
Corfo Donati, to whom his country; and the Nerij
owed much,, both of their good and bad^ fortune:

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Ili THE HISTORY Book IL

without doubt, if he had not been of fo rcftlcfs a dif-
pofition, his memory would have been held in greater
honour. However, his name deferves to be ranked
amongft thofe of the moft eminent men that our city
has ever produced ; though indeed, it cannot be de-
liied« that the turbulency of his fpirit made both his
country and party forget their obligations to him,
and at laft, was not only the caufe of his own death,
but brought many evils upon them. Uguccione had
advanced as far as Remoli, in his way to Florence,
with fupplies to relieve his fon-in-law ; but being in-
formed there, that he was fallen into the hands of the
people, and imagining that all fuccour would then be
too late, he thought it the moft prudent way to turn
back again, as he might otherwife very likely preju-
dice himfelf, without being able to do him any {er«
vice.

After the death of Corfo, which happened in the
year 1308, all tumults ceafed, and every body lived
quietly, till news arrived that Henry the Emperor,
was come into Italy with all the Florentine Exiles in
his army, whom he had promifed to reinftate in their
country. The Magiftrates, therefore, in order to cjif-:
trefs him, and leffen the number of their enemies,
granted a free pardon to all fuch as had been rebels,
and invited them to return 5 excepting fome particu-
lar pcrfon* exprefsly mentioned. Thofe that were
excluded, were moftly of tl>e Ghibeline faftion, and
certain of the Bianchi ; amongft whom, were Dante
Alighieri, tlie Sons of Veri de Cerchi, and of Giano
della Bella. They likewife fent to follicit the affiftance
of Robert, King of Naples, but not being able to
obtain it as allies, they gave him the government of
their City for five years, upon condition that he would
defend and proteA.them as his fubjedls. The Em-
peror, in his paflage, arrived at Pifa, and from thence
came to Rome, where he was crowned, in the year
13 12 ; and being determined to humble the Floren-
tines» he marched by the way of Perugia and Arezzo
to Florence, and fat down with his army at the Mo-

naftery

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Book li. O F F L O R E N C E. 119

naftery of St. Salvi, about a mile from the city,
where he continued fifty days without gaining any
advantage. At laft, when he found that enterprize
not likely to fucceed as he expedcd, he returned t^
Pifa, and entered into à confederacy with Frederick,
King of Sicily, in order to make an attempt upon
Naples. For which purpofe, he marched that way
with his army ^ but at a time when he thought him-
felf fure of fucccfs^ and Robert was lb frighted that
he gave up his kingdom for lofi, the Emperor died
at Buonòonvento.

It happened not long after, that Uguccione della
Faggiuola firft made himfelf matter of Pifa, and thca
of Lucca, by the affiftance of the Ghibelinès ; from
whence he committed great depredations upon the
neighbouring Urates. The Florentines, therefore, to
free themfelves from the terror occafioned by his in-
curfions into their territories, invited Peter, King Ro-
bert's brother, to cóme and take upon him the com-
mand of their forces. Uguccione, on the other
hand, neglefted no opportunity, in the mean time,
of adding to the power he had already acquired, and
partly by force, partly by artifice, had made himfelf
mailer of feveral caftlcs in the Vales of Arno and
Nievole : from whence he proceeded to lay ficge to
Monte Catini, where the Florentines refolved to ufe
their utmoft endeavours to flop his career, and ex-
tSnguifii a flame that otherwife might poflibly devour
their whole country. For this purpofe, having raifed
a very powerful army, they marched into the Vale
rf Nievole, where they gave battle to Uguccione,
and were utterly defeated, after a bloody engagement,
in which they loft above two thoufand men, bcfides
their General Peter, the King's brother, whofc body
could never be found. The vidory, however, was
not attended with any great rejoicings on the fide of
Uguccione, as one of his fons, and many other offi«
cers of diftinftion, were killed in it.

After this overthrow, the Florentines immediately
began to fortify the towns round about them, and

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120 THE HIS TO R Y Bqpk IL

applied tp King Robert for another Ge^ntral,; upon
which, he fent them the Count di Anclri^,. com-
monly called Count Novello, whofp Ijad condu<3^
add^d to the impatient temper of thp FlQr,entin'cs
(wliich is foon tired of any form of governmental a;id
ready to fall into fafliions upon every accident), occa-
fiòned the city to divide again^ nptwithftariding the
war they were engaged in with tJggccionfi ; and fofj^p.
declared for king Robert, and fpmq' againft him.
TThe chief of his^ enemies were Sinione cjella Tqla,
tfie Magalloti, and fonìe other popuUr families wjio,
had the * ^reateft power in, the gpv.ernmcn^ Thcfc
perfons lent firft into France, and\thgq^ into Ger^
rfiany, to raife men ancj invito ofHcers', in order tp,
rid tibemfelves of their new Governor; but unror^
tbnktely they could not procure cithc;r. As hovir^
ever they, were determined to carry t^ieir ppint^
and as neither Germany nor Frar^Qc w^ould fupj)ljr>
them with a Governor, they chofe oqq from, thij^,
neTghÌ30urhood ; and hayiqg i^X^J\ arms and, dxqyp.
tlic Count out. of tHe city, they fent for one Lapdjqj
of Agobio, and, made him their Efifqutore, or^raj^^
tj^eir Executioner, with full power over, alLthcjQi-,
^zens. l^ando, being naturally crucjl and rapacious,,
^crit about the city with a gang of arnjec} men at/l^i^
Keels, hanging up firfl oqe man and then another^ z^
thofeihat had fent for him gave him cjirei^ioas, andj
at Taft grew fo ihfqlent^ that hecoine^ bad rpQnpy. with^
die Flon J which no bqdv had. cquragc,

enoiight fuch a height. of power had- hcjj

arrived I ion of th^ citizens ! Nijlcr^^blj^

indeed, s be lamc;nted was the Ciondit|QiVj

ofthècii e, which neither thebitte^ rcV,

n"^embrai.w,^ X,. v.-^ ^-ilV produced by their forpier.cji-,
vifions, nor the dr^ad of a foreign, enemy a^ tl>^^)
gatè$, nor the authority of a King, wa$ fufficic^t-tOj
keep un,ited ; though their pofleffions were at the (a^^C)
time daily ravaged and plundered, abroad by, TJguC',
cipne^ and at home by Landò.

The

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Bopk li: O F F L O Ri E N C E. wi

The Nobili^, nfjpft of the confidcrable Commoners^
and aH th^ Qjtjf?lphs, took the King's, fidfe, and; bated
Lapdo and tf^ofe that fapported him : bqt a$ tbeic
eneoiies had t^e po^er in their hands, they could
not declare theo^felves publickly without extreme
danger. However, that they might not fcem yvant-
ing in any endeavours toi free thrmfelves from fo ig»^
npmimous. a yoke, they wrote privately to King Ro^
bert, ^nd entreated him to appoint Count Guido da
^u^foUe his Lieutenant at Florence, which he rea-
dily cofnplied with.: and the other party (though
they had the Signiory on their fide) durft not venture*
tp <^pQfe a man of foi eftabliflied' a reputation. But
th^ Count fpon found he had very little authority in-
th^ city, as thf Magiftracy and the Gonfaloniers of*
the fevciral companies; openly favoured Landò and his
frknd$.

During thefe troubles in Florence, the daughter of
AJbfs'Tt, King, of Bohemia, paflTcd through that city
(ip meqt her bu(band Charles^ the fon of King Ro-
tjfrt) where; ftie was received by- the King's frie^ids»
^ith* great, honour,;, and^ upon their complaints, of
tiie'mifera^e condition of the city, and the tyranny*
ofL^indo and. his. party, (he ufcd her good offices fo»
effeftually, and obtained them, fo many grants and»
fevovira from the King before fhe left tbenn, that the^
Ó^itiwnSìWereat laft* reconciled and re- united. Landò
deprivicd' of his authority, and fcnt back again to^
ÀgobbiOi fetiated with bloods and rapinev After his^
d^af'ture, there. enfupd another reform in the State,
hff which, the government of the city wa« continued^
to tiiie Ring* fur three years longer.: and as the feven»
itot werc^thcn in the Signiory were all of Lando's*
party, fix.othe^rs were added to them of the Kihg'a*
and tbey continued thirteen for fqmeitimc; biit were
aftrBywc}?;rieduced ito feven again, their former num-
tecr. A/bout this(time, Ugucciooe wa? driven out ofi
* LuQcaiand' Eifa^, andifuccccdeci in the government oft
^it^. two cities by Gaftruccio.Caifiracani, a LuccheleV
ivho> bping aJfÀritfdtyovfn^ man an^ fortunate in aU^

his

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1^22 THE HISTORY Book IL

his undertakings, very foon became the head of the
Ghihclinc fa£Uon in Tufcany. The Florentines there-
fore laying afide their private difcords, were chiefly'
employed for fcveral years in endeavouring to ob-
ftrudt the growth of Caftruccio's power ; and after-
wards, when they found that to no purpofe, in taking
proper meafures to defend themfclves againft him.
And that the Signiory might proceed with maturer
deliberation, and execute with greater authority, they
chofe twelve Citizens whom they called Buonhuomini,
witixouc whofe advice and confcnt, the Signiory were
not to pafs any acb of importance.

Itì the mean time the dominion of king Robert
expired, and the government once more reverted to
the Citizens, who again fet up the lame form of ma-
giftracy that had been formerly inftituted, and conti-
nued united whilft they were in fo much fear of Ca-
ftruccio; who, after many enterprizes againft the Go-
vernors of Lunigiana, at lait fat down before Prato.-
Thc Florentines alarmed at this news, refolved to re-
lieve it, and for that purpofe, having (hut up their
fhops, they marched towards that place with twenty
tboufand foot, and fifteen hundred horfe, but in a
tumultuous and diforderly manner. And to Icflfcn
the force of Caftruccio and add to their own, a Pro-
clamation was iflued by the Signiory, that every exile
of the Guelph party, who came in to the relief of
Prato, fliould afterwards have liberty to return home :
which had fo good an efieft, that they were joined
by above four thoufand of them, and their army be*
came fo formidable by this reinforcement that they
marched with all expedition to Prato. But Caftruccio
b^ing afraid of fo great a force, and not caring to
run the hazard of a battle, retreated to Lucca.
. Upon this retreat, there arofe great difputes in the
camp of the Florentines, betwixt the Nobility and the
l^eople. The people would have purfued him and
forced him to an engagement, in hopes that a viétory
yould have totally ruined him : but the Nobility
tìiought it more prudent to return -, alledging, they

had

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Book IL OF FLORENCE. 123

had already' fufficicntly cxpofcd their own city for the
relief of Prato, which in fuch a cafe of neccflScy was
unavoidable : but, now there was no manner of occa*
fion, little to be gained, and much to be loft, it
would be madncfs to tempt fortune. After long dc-

-.hates, without coming to any refolution, the matter
was referred to the Signiory, which, confifting of

, Commoners as well as Nobility, fell into the fame dif*
fcrence of opinions : and this coming to be known in
the city, a vaft number of the people affembled in
the Piazza, and threatened the Nobility to fuch a de*
gree that they were terrified and gave way to theny.
But as it was fo late before they came to fuch a refo«
lution, and even then againft the inclination of maiif »
the enemy had fufEcient time to retire in fifety to
Lucca: at which the people were fo exafperated
againft the Nobility, that the Signiory refufed to pcr-^
form the promife they had made, by their defire, to
ihe exiles that came in upon the proclamation. The
exiles hearing of this, rcfolved on their part to force
their way into the city if poffible, and accordingly
prcfented themfelve^ at the gates, to be admitted bt^
fore the reft of the army came up : but this attempt
being forefeen and expcded, did not fucceed, for they
were driven back again by thofe that wet-e left in the
town. They endeavoured therefore to obtain by
treaty what they could not by force, and fent eight
deputies to remind the Signiory of their promife, and
the dangers they had expofed themfelves to in con-
fequence of it, and that they relied upon their good
faith for the ftipulated recompence of their fervices.
The Nobility, therefore, having joined in that pro*
mife with the Signiory, and given their word that
they would fee it performed, thought themfelves ob-
liged in honour to ufe all their intereft in favour of
the exiles, which they did : but the Commons being
enraged that the enterprize againft Caftruccio had QOt
been profecuted as they thought it ought to have
been, would not concur with them ; which afterwards
brought not only great difgrace, but alfo much trou*

blc

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1-241 T H E H I S T O R Y Book II.

He upon the city. For many of the Nobility being
cWguftÉrd at this denial, refoked to have rccourfe ta
ochcF expffdfcrus, and promifed the Guclph^ that if
tJiey would appear in arms before the city, they woxM
alfa) raifo ati inkurrcftion within it to affili thetw. Bot:
this defign being difcovered the day before it was^to
have been puc la execution, when the exiles came up
they found the Ciiizeos ready armed, and in foch cy-
der, notf only to repel them, but to fupprefs any rif-
ing within the walk, that no body durft offer ta move :
fe that they gave up the enterprize and drew oflr Bgziw
weobout making any further etfort at that time. Af-
t«r their dcparcueei it was thought fie that thofe per«
fpfisrihould be puni(hed who had invited then;i^ thi»
thcr : nc vefftheicfs, though every one klrcw who: the'
delinquents were,, yet no body durft fo much as point!
rfiem out, much Ws accufe them. But that the truth*
MWght be told without referve, it was orderrd; thar
any members of the general council (hould be allowed
tOi write down their names upon a piece of paper and»
deliver it privately to the Captain of the people : whicl»
being done, the pcrfons ace u fed were, Amet^i^o Do-
nati, Tegghiaio Frefcobaldi, and Lotteringo. Gherar-
dinii whofe judges being more favourable than per-
haps their crimes delferved, they were only fined af
certain fujn of money and difcharged.

From the tumults which happened in Fkirence up-
on the approach of the exiles, it plainly appeared,
that one Captain only in every Company of the peo-
ple was. not fufficient : it vas ordered therefore, thav
each Company for the future fhould have three op
font, and than every Gonfalonier fhould have two or
three other Enfigns undcnhim called Pen non n ieri, that fo
upon any. emergency, when the whole Company could
net be dnawn out; fomc paro of it might be employed
^nder one of thofe ofifecrs. And as it generally hap-
peosiiniall commonwealths, that after any revolution*
OF remarkable crifisi fonoc or other of the old laws
ane-i^ogatcd and new ones made in their roem ; fo
though the Signiory at firft was changed every twa

months.

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Book IL OF FLORENCE. n$

months, yet tte magiftrates that were then in ofice^
having great power, took upon themfélves to confti-
tute a Signory out of ^U the moft confiderabie Cirieehs;
to continue forty months, whofe nannes were to be
put into a Bag or Purfe, and a certain number of
them drawn out by lot at the end' of every fecond
month. This method of elecftion at firft was called
Imborfatione and afterwards Squittino. But> as many
of the citizens began to fufpeft their names were not
in the Purfe, there was a fretti Imborfation before the
forty months expired. From h^ee arofe the ufe of
the Purfe in creating all their Magifftrates both at hoitìé
and abroad, whicn continued for a confiderablc tirhc?
whereas before, when the old Magiftrates went out of
office, new ones were always ch<^en by the couftcih
And as this was not to be renewed till after a tcrrti o#
above three years, it was thought rfiey had in a great
oeafure cxtinguiflied the caufes of all fuch difguftS
and tumults as ufrd to happen from the frequehc re*
turn of Eledbns and the number of Competitors fòf
the Magjftracy : fuch was the remedy which for wartf
of a ticttcr, they were forced to provide againft thofé
evils, not being aware how little advantage and hov/
many mifchiefs were likely to flow frosn it.

In the year 13^5, Caftruccio havfatg feized uport
Piftoia, was become fo formidaWe, that the FJoren*
tines bcgimiing toftand in great awe of him, relblved
to attack him before be had eftaWiftied hirtil'clf irt
his new docmaion, and if poffible, to wreft it out of
his bands agian. Ir> confequence of which, they af-
fcmblcd twenty thousand foot and three thoufaftd
borfe (moil. of whom were Florentine's and the reft
allies) and encamped before Alto Palfcio j by the re*
duftion. of which, they hoped to ppsvent any relief
frona bring throiwn into Piftoia. 1ft this enterprfctó
they fuccecdcd,^ amd^ from thence adv*anced towards
Lucca,, fpoiling and ravaging the whole country:
but by the ill conduct and treachery of Ramovfdòcfa
Cardona,. their comnfunder in chief, they» reaped but
littk advantage from this progre£i« For as he fa^

the

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i±6 T H E HISTORY Book If;

the Florentines had been fo liberal io difpoGng of
tbemfelves, that they had fomecimes conferred their
government upon Kings, fometimes upon Legates,
and fometimes upon perfons of much inferior quality,
he thought if he could reduce them to any extre-
mity, they perhaps would make him their Prince.
For this purpofe, he was very importunate with them
to give him the fame command in the city that he had
over their army ; as he pretended he could not other-
wife either require or expeób that neceffary obedience
which was due to a General. But finding the Flo-
r)?ntines did not care to comply with this demand,
he trifled away his time in doing nothing, whilft Ca-
ftruccio omitted no opportunity of taking the advan-
tage that his indolence afforded him. For the latter
having reinforced himfelf with fupplies from the Vif-
conti and other Princes of Lombardy, Ramondo,
who before might have gained a vi&ory, if he had
not betrayed his matters, now behaved in fo un-
foldier like a manner that he could not even make his
efcape from the enemy ; but whilfl he was retreating
from them by very Ihort and flow marches, he was
overtaken and attacked by Caflruccio near Alto
Pafcio, where, after an obflinate engagement» in
which his forces were utterly routed, and great num-
bers of the Citizens either killed or taken prifoners^
he himfelf alfo lofi his life, receiving that punifh-
ment from the hands of fortune, which his perfidy
and ambition had merited from the Florentines.

Thehavock which Caftruccio made in the territo-
ries of Florence after this viftory, the depredations,
imprifonments, burnings, and every other kind of
devaflaiion, are not to be defcribed : for as he had
nobody to make head againfl: him for feveral months,
he over- ran the whole country, and did what he
pleated, whilft the Florentines thought it no fmall
matter to fave their city after fuch a defeat. Ne^
verthelefs, they were not reduced to fo low an ebb,
but they raifed large fums of money, > afTembled
forces, and fcnt to their allies for affiftaoce : but no

pro-

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Book IK O F F L O R E N C E. 127

provifions were fufficient to flop the progrefs of fuch
an enemy. They were forced therefore, %o make an
offer of their government to Charles Duke of Cala-
bria and fon to King Robert, upon condition that he
would undertake to defend them ; for as that family
had been ufcd to rule over them, they chofe rather to
ihelter themfelves under him as their Prince, than
to truft to him as an ally. But Charles himfelf being
engaged in the wars of Sicily, fcnt Gualtier (a French-
, man, and Duke of Athens) as his Lieutenant, to
take poflcffion of the government, who new modelled
the Magiftracy as he thought fit. His behaviour»
however, was fo modeft and temperate, and fo con*
trary to his true natural difpofition, (as (ball be (hewn
hereafter) that he gained the affcftions of every one.

After the wars in Sicily were over, Charles came
in perfon to Florence, with a thoufand borfe, and
made his entry in July 1326. His arrival gave fome
check to Caftruccio, and prevented him from roving
about the country and plundering it without controul,
as he had done before. But, if the citizens faved
any thing abroad, it was loft again at hpme ; and
when their enemies were thus curbed, they became a
prey to the infolcnce and oppreffion of their friends :
for as the Signiory were entirely under the influence
of the Duke, he cxaded four hundred thoufand ào-
rins from the city in the fpace of one year, though it
.was exprefsly ftipulated in the agreement made with
him, that he (hould not raife above two hundred
thoufand in the whole : befides which, either Charles,
or his Father, were continually laying fome heavy tax
or other upon the Citizens.

Thefe miferies were ftill increafed by new jealoufies
and fre(h enemies. For the Ghibelincs of Lombardy
wejre fo alarmed at the arrival of Charles in Tufcany,
that Galeazzo Vifconti, and other Princes of that pro-
vince, by dint of money and fair promifes, prevailed up-
on Lewis of Bavaria, (who ha^ been elefted Emperor,
contrary to the Pope's inclination) to march into Italy
with an army/ In confequence of which, he came
/ into

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t\% T H IE H I $ T O R Y Book ll

iì^ù Lombardy, ahd froth thence advancing into
Tiifeany, ftiadc hirrrfèlf toaffter of Pifa, by the aflTift*.
ance of Caìftpueciò ; hnd having received a confidei^
able ftipply of money, he marched on tONVàtkfs "Rcfniè.
Upton which, Charles began to thfinfk the kingdoni
trf" Napfcs in nò ftnall danger ; and leaving Philipf>6
BaginettO his Lictrtenant at Florehce, he t^tqrned thi-
ther in alihaftc Wth'the forces that he had brought
along with him- After his departure, Caftruccid
ftfized trpon Pifa, and the Florentines having got pof**
ieffioh of Piftdia by treaty, he inarched immediately
CO recover it, and carried toft ^ht fiege with fo much
vigour and riefolotion, t?iat though the Florentii^i
hiade many atteihpts to rdievè it, forftetinies by at-
tacking his army, fometime^ by making incqrfionJ
into his other territories, yet, all their endeavours
w^fe incffcAual : for To firmly determined was he to
chaftife Piftora, and keep the Florentines under, thafc
the Piftoians were forced to furrender and receive hinl
once more for their Lord ; by which he acquired great
reputation ; but fòon after fell frck and died in thè
faiidft of his vidories, as he was returning to Lucca.
And as it generally happens, that either fortunate ot
unfortunate accidents arc attended by others of thè
fame kind, Charles, Duke of Calabria, and Lord of
Florence, died at Naples much about the fame time.
So that the Florentines were fuddenly iand unexpeét^
tdly delivered from xht oppreflion of one, and the
tìread of the other ; and having once more recovete^
their liberty, began to reform the commonwealth
again, abrogating the .Laws and Ordinances of aU
former councils, and creating two new oné3 in théi*
roortì, one of which confiftw of three hundttd of
the Commons, thè other of two hundred and fifty,
of both Commoners and Nobility ; the fortnet* wa^
called the Councii df the Pe&fky the latter, the Cvmmk
X^ouncil.

The Emperor, upon his arrival at ÌLotrk^ fet li]^

an Antipope, did many things to the prejudice trf" thè

Church, and attempted fcveral others, which he wtó

1 **^^ not

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Motikll OF Fi. Oft E K CE. T^

Àot able to eSc6t * : upon which, he left Rome with
*tio little dirttonour, and went to Fifa, whefe eight
hundred German 'horfe, either for "want of pay, òr
becaufe they were diffatisrficd with' his conduéV, imme-
diately mutinied and fortified' themftlves at Monte-
chiaro upon the CètùgUo. Thtft forces, after he wafs
-gònfe from Pifa, towards Lombardy; made themfelyej
.mailers of Lucca, and drove out Francifco C^ftri-
ickn^, whom the Emperor had deputed to govern it ;
'and being defirous to make the beft of it, they of-
fered it to the Florentines for twenty thoufand florins,
•i^hio^h they refufed to give, by the advice of Simone
della Tofa. Happy had it been for their city, if tlifc
Florentines had perfevered in that refolution : but ^s
they foon after changed their mind, it was of very
great prejudice to them ; for though they refufed it
when they might have had the peaceable -pofleflion of
•k at fo cheap a fate, they were afterwards obliged to
-pay a much larger Turn for it, and could not keep it
Airhen they had done ; which gave occaliori to rtiany
fubfcquent diftiJrbances axid changes of government
in Florencei - ^

The purchafe of Lucca being thus rejcéted hy the
^iflorentines, it was bought by Gherardino Spinoli, a

m

♦ The Pope had excommunicated him in 13*8, a
to have forfeited the empire Lewis, on the other 1
fcveral pens to write againll the Pope, whom he flile
hors. And not contenting himfelt with this, he e
next year, and fet up a certain Francifcaii, called I
,de Corberia, as Antipope, by the name of Nicholas ^
Lewis, and declared John XXII. an Heretic^ and tl
feited the Papacy. This violent manner of proceedii
.Emperor's friends to fuch a degree, that they defer t
'he afterwards deiired to be reconciled to Bencdi6t X

]|to Clement VL in 1344. . But being unwilling to fuL

ditions that were offered him, viz. That he fliould furrender the em-
Ipire and all his eftates to the Church, gnd hold them only. at the
good will of the Pope, he was declared ** obflinate and contuma-
cious/* And at the follicitation of Clement VI. and Philip of. Va-
,lois. King of France, (whom Lewis had provoked, by fiding with
Edward III. King of England againft him) the Eledors chofe in hi»
Voom, Charles ofLuxembourg, who was the fourth Emperor of that
name. This was in 134.6. Lewis died the next vearof poifon, or
as others fay, by a fall from bishorfe, at the age of^iixty- three. Bxov*
'Annal. '

Vot. I. K Gc*

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\i^ THE HISTORY Book II.

jQcnwict for thirty tboufand Florins. By t tt k k
ttfae nature of mankind to be cool and indifferent about
iuch things as are proffered them» ^nd eager in their
: defires to obtain what is difficulty or out of their
reach ; b when the Florentines heard that city was
ibid for fuch a trifle, they were eiiceedingly diflatisfied
^ihat they had it not tbemfelves, and angry al tl^ofe
^ho had difluaded theo) from buying it : however»
iis it was now too late, they reiblved ro take it bf
llbrce ; and for that purpofe, fent tl^eir army to «make
an incurfion into the territories of the Lucchefe^ In
•the mean time« the Emperor had quit^d Italy ; and
«the Antipopc, by order of the Pifans, was fent pri«
4oner into France.

After the death of C^ilnicclo, which happened in
the year 132S, the Florentines continued quiet at
iu>me, till 1340, and intent only upon their affairs
4tbroad : during which time, they were engaged in
ieveral wars^ efpecialiy in Lombardy, upon the com»
ing of John, King of Bohemia ^, into that province i
^d in Tuicany, on the account of Lucca. They
likewife raifed feveral new and beautiful ediBces in
4heir city, particularly the Tower of St. ^eparata^
after a plan given them by Giotto f, the moft cel^*

, • He wa$ a Prince of great courage» and diftingai(bed'.h!m&]f a»
Tuch in tbefe wars, before which he had taken upon himfelf the title
of King of Poland, and waged war againft the poflefTor of the crown,
there. He loft one of his eyes in battle, and goiz^ to Mont*
pelier to try if he coald fii;id any relief from the phyficians there, a
■jevi'ifli Doétor, whom he employed, treated him in fo un(kilful a
manner, that he depritedirim ot the other. tJpon this occafion, the
^ing of Poland, as it is reported, fent him word, that hedeiired they
two only might decide their quarrels in a private room» with each a
iKmyara in his hand. But King John returned for aaArcr, «• that
%e muft firft pull out both his eyes to make the due! e^Ual»'* Hit
blindnefs did, not prevent him from going to war iV ^Hbn. He
went into France with fuccours to the aid of Philip of Valois, and wat
Aot only prefent, but fought bravely at the battle of Crefly, whid^
the French loft, Auguft «6, 1 346. He cauied his horfe to be ^ened-
by the bridle to one of the beft horiemen he had, and then rufiied
furiottlly into the thick of the enemy, fword in bandi where he waa
«t laft killed, as might be well expe^ed. Charles IV. his fon. King
of Bohemia and Emperor, ^ivesa fuller account of all tbefe things la-
die Memoirs of his father^ Life.

f This Oiotto was fcholar to Ciambue, and bom near Florence^
In the year ia7^« He was a good Sculptor and Archite^, as well «a

» bet*

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éòolc IL O ì^ F L O R E N C E. i^i

braired painter a^nà àrchitcft of thofe 'rimcs :. and m
the year 1333, after an inundation of the Arno, in
inrhich the water rofc twelve yards perpendicular m'
fome part^ of Florence, carried away feveral bridges,
and demolifhed liiany houfes, they repaired all witn
great diligence and expence. But in the year 1340,
new diHurbances arofe.

Tlic governors of the City had two ways of main-
taining and increafing their authority. One was, by
managing the Imborfations in foch a manner, as al«
ways to fecure the Signiory either to themfelves or
their creatures 5 the other, i>y getting Rettori, òr
Judges chofen, who they knew would be favourable
to them in their fentences and determinations. The
latter of which expedients, they thought of fuch ioji-
portance, that, not content with two Judges, as, they
had been formerly, they fometimes conftitutcd a third,
whom they called Captain of the Guards ; with which
ofBce, they had now veiled Jacomo Gabrieli d*Agob-
bio, and given him an abfolute power over the Ci-
tizens. This Jacomo, under the direftion of the go-
vernors, behaved. with the moft fhamelefs infolence
and partiality, daily injuring or affronting fome body
or other, particularly Pietro de Bardi, and Bardo Frèf-
cóbaldi -, who being nobly born, and jtnen of high
jpirit, were provoked to fuch a degree, that a iftràn-
ger ihould be introduced ipto the city by a few of
their fellow-citizens that had the power in thejir
hands, on purpofe to infult and abufe all the reft,
that they entered into a confpiracy with many other
noble families, and fome of the Commoners, that
were difgufted at fo tyrannical a government, to re-
venge themfelves, both upon him and thofe that had

a better Painter, than his Mafter : for he began to (bake off theiliff-
jaeù of the Greek manner, endeavouring to give a freer arr to li is
Heads, with more of nature in his colouring, and eafier attitudes to
bw figures. His^ft piece is ftill in one of the Churches at Florence,
reprefenting the Death of the Virgin Mary, «rith the Apoftles round
about her. The attitudes of whiph Story, Michael Angelo u fed to
fay, could not be better defigned. Sec Frcfooy>An pfPainti^^
P-»54.

K 2 jbeeo

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132 THE HISTORY Book ff .

been the Occafion of bis coming thithen For this
piirpofe, it was agreed amongft the confpirators» thae
every one of them fliould get together as many armed
men as he could in his houfe } and that on the morn-

' ing after the f eftival of All Saints, when the people
were gone to Church to pray for the fouls ot their

* departed friends -f, they IhoUld take up arms, kill
the Captain and principal Governors, and make new

Jaws and magiftrates to reform the State. But as it
generally happens, that when defperate refolutions

..come to be maturely conlidered, many dangers and
impediments occur, which damp the ardour of the
Confpirators ; fo plots that are not fpeedily executed,
are for the moft part unfuccefsful, as this was. For
Andrea de Bardi, one of the accomplices, weighing
the matter coolly, and being more cffcftually moveid
by the terror of puniQiment than the defire of re-
venge, difcovered the whole to his kinfman Jacomo
Alberti, who immediately communicated it to the
Magiftracy. And as the day appointed for their
rifing was very near at hand, many of the Citizens
affembled in the Palace ; and judging it dangerous
to wait any longer, they advifed the Signiory to have
the Alarm-Bell rung, and the Companies called to-
gether. Taldo Valori was chief Gonfalonier at that
time, and Francifco Salviati one of the Signiory :
and as they were allied to the Bardi, they oppofcd
that meafore, and faid it would be a dangerous
thing to arm the people upon every trifling acci-
dent, bccaufe it was never known that power given
to the multitude, without fufficient authority to re-
ftrain them, had produced any good effcft ; and that
it was a much ea^er matter to raife a tumult than to
compofe one : they thought it would be more pru-
dent, therefore, to enquire into the truth of the
matter, and if they found fufficient reafoo, to puni(h

t This event tbcrefore happened on the id of Novemher, 1340,
^hieh is 4X)mmonly called All Souls Day, as the RomiA Church fcts
• jt apart in ^ommtm^rrationem omnium fideltum defun^otum^ of, «« Prayers
for all tbofe that have departed this life in the truefaith.^

the

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Book IL OFFLORENC E. 133'

the offenders by due courfe of law, than to run tu-
multuoufly into arms, only upon a bare report, and
proceed in fuch a manner, as perhaps might be the
utter ruin of their city. But thefe arguments were
all to no purpofe : for the Signiory w^re fo threats
ened and infulted by the other Citizens, that they
were forced tocaufe the Bell to be rung ; at the found
of which, all the people took arms and ran diredUy
to the Piazza before the Palace. On the other hand»
the Bardi and Frcfcobaldi, perceiving they were be-
trayed, and being refolved either to conquer or die
honourably, likewift took arms, in hopes that they
(hould be able to defend themfelves in that part of
the City, which lies on the other fide of the River,
where moft of their houfes flood. For which pur-
pofe, they fortified the Bridges over it, and there
made head againfl: the enemy, in expcAation that
many of the Nobility and others of their friends
would come out of the Country to their afliftance.
But this was prevented, by the people that lived in
the fame part of the city with them, who took up
arms for the Signiory : fo that when they found they
were likely to be attacked by them alfo, they aban-
doned the Bridges, and retired into the ftreet where
Ae Bardi lived, as ftronger than any of the reft, and
there made a brave defence.

• In the mean time, Jacomo d*Agobbio, well know^
ing this Cònfpiracy was chiefly bent againli him,
thought his life in great danger, and was frighted to
fuch a degree, that he ran trembling to fecure him-
felf in the midft of the armed men who were af-
fembled before the Palace of the Signiory : but the
other Judges who had not been guilty of the fame
injuftice and oppreffion, were more courageous,
éfpecially Maffeo da Maradi, the Po'deftà, who ran to
the place where they were fighting, and pafling the
Bridge Rubaconte, undauntedly threw himfelf into
the thickeft of the (kirmilh, and made a fign for a
Parley. Upon which, out of reverence to his Perfon^
his courage, and many other good qualities, they laid

K 3 down

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ì^l THEHISTORY Book IL^

down their arms, and ftood patiently to hear him*
n^hiifC in a modef}: and pathetic harangue, he blanited
the Bardi for their manner of proceeding^ fiiewtd
thc^m the danger they were in from the fury of the
people if they did not defifl:. gave them hopes thap
their caufe Ihould be favourably heafd,, and promifed
that he'himfélf would not only intercede for their
pkfdpn, but lee that they ihould have all reafonable
ficisfaftion and redrefs for their grievances: after
whipH he went to the Signiory and exhorted them
liat to attempt a Vidtory, in which fo many of their
fellow-cuiaens muft inevitably perifh, nor to pafsany
fcrntence upon them unheard. In fhort, his medi-
ation had fuch an cfFedt, that the Bardi and Frefcoi-
baldi, with many of their friends, being allowed by
fhc Signiory to leave the city, retired to their caftles
in the Country without any impediment or molef-

After they were gone and. the people difarmcd, the
Signiory proceeded againft fuch only of the Families
of the Bardi and Frplcobaldi as had aftually been in
arms : and to Icflcn their power, they bought the
Caftles of Mangona and Vernia of the Bardi, and
made a law that no Citizen for the future (hould pof»
(^k any Caftle within twe'nty miles of Florence. Not
many months after, Stiatta FrefcobaldJ was beheaded,
and feveral Others of that family proclaimed Kebels.
However, it did not fufficicntly fatiate the revenge
of thofe in the adminiftration, to have conquered and
fupprefled thofe families : but, like almoft all other
men (whofe infoiente commonly increafes with their
powef} jhey grew more imperious and arbitrary as
they greyv ftronger : for though they had only one
Captain of thp Quards to tyrannize over the city be^
fore, they now 'appointed another, to refide in the
Country, and veftcd him with very great authority : fp
jiiat any one who was ip the lealt obdo^iou? to the
government, could not live quietly either within the
cky or without it The Nobility in particular were
daily abufed and infulted by thena in fuch a nianner«
"■ ■. '/" ' '" ' '^" "' * "^ ' 'that

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ÉookU. OF B^LORENCE. 1^5

that they only waited for an opportunity to revenge
themfchres at any rate : and as one foon after hap*-
pened, they did not Ml to take the advantage of it*

During the many troubles that had happened lia
Tufeany and Lombardy, the city of Lucca was fallen
under the Dominion of Maftino ddl Scala Lord of
Verona, who, though he was under an engagemenr
to give it up' to the Florentines, did not think fit to
perform it : for as he was alfo Lord of Parma, and'
imagined he was fttong enough to maintain hiitifelf in
poflTelTion, he made little account of that promife*
The Florentines, to revenge this breach of faith,,
joined the Venetians, and made fo vigorous a war up-
on him, that he was in great danger of lofing- all hi»
territories : but they got little by it in the end, cx^
cept the fatisfadion of having diftreffed their enemy.
For the Venetians, according to the cuftom of all
States that enter into any league or alliance with
others, that are weaker than thcmfelves, having
feized upon Trevigi and Vicenza, made a feparate
peace, without any regard to the intereft of their Con*
fèàtritéi. Soon after, the Vifconti, Lords of Milan^
toot ÌParma from Maftino, who finding himfelf no
longer able to keep Lucca after fuch a diminution
of his ftrength, refolvcd to fell it. The Florentines
and Pifans were competitors in the purchafe ; but
whilft they were bartering for it, the Pifans feeing
they Ihould be out-bid, as they were not fo rich as
the others, had recourfe to arms, and, joining with
the Vifconti, laid fiege to the town. The Florentines,
however, were not at all difcouraged at this, but pro-
ceeded in their bargain, and having agreed upon the
price, paid down part of the money to Maftino, and
gave him Hoftages for the reft : in confequcnce of
whichj Naddo Rucellai, Giovanni Bernardino de Me*
dicii and Ro(!b the fon of Ricciardo de Ricci, were
fent to take pofleflion ; who forcing their way into
the town through the Pifan Camp, were received by
Maftino, and had it delivered into their hands. The
' Hfens, ncverthdefe, continued the fiege, and endea^.

K 4 vourcd

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Xìi

THE HIS T OtR r - Book 1Ù

Voured by- all poflible means to make thcmfclvcs ti\z,^
ters of the place : and the Florentines, on the other
hand, were no lefs follicitous to relieve it : but after
a long ftruggle they were at h& driven out of it, with
ipuch diflionour and the. lofs of all their purehafe<
money, . This difafter (as it ufually happens in th?
like cafes) threw the people of Florence into fuch a
i;age againft their Governors, that they pqblickly ii^-
fpltcd and upbraided them with their ill condu<^ an4
adminiftration, in all places and upon every opporr
tunitjr.

In the beginning of the war, the management of it
had been committed to twenty Citizens, who ap-
pointed Malatefta da Rimini Commander in Chief
of their forces iq that Expedition : but as he executed
that charge with little courage and hfs difcretion, they
follicited Robert, King of Naples, for fupplics ; which
|ie accordingly fept them under the command of Guai-
tier, Duke of Athens, who, as the evil deftiny of the
thy would have it, arrived there juft at the tiqrie when
the eriterprize againft Lucca had mifcarried. Upon
his coming, the twenty fuperintendants of the war,
feeing the people enraged to the higheft degree,
thought either to footh them with frefli hopes, and
take away all further occafion of obloquy, or to
bridle them efFeftually by chufing a new General :
flind as they were ftill in great fear of the multitude,
they firft made the Duke of Athens Confervator of
jthe Peace, and then their Commander in Chief, that
he might have both authority and power fufficient to
defend them. But as many of the Nobility had been
formerly acquainted with Gualtier (when be was Go-
vernor of Florence, for Charjes, Duke of Calabria)
jftnd were ftill highly difcontented for the reafons
^boye^mcntipned^ they refolvcd, now they had fo
fair an opportunity, to take their revenge, even
ihough it (hould occafion the deftruj^ipn of the city |
jmaginifig there was no other way left to get the
JDetter of (be people, who had fo long domineered
pygr then^9 ^ut t9 ripduce \hctfi into fubjedion to f .

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Book Il7 ÒP FLORENCE. i^f

Prince, who being well acquainted with the wòrtb
and gcnerofity of the Nobility and the infolence of the
Commons, might treat both partie^ according to
their defcrts : befides which confidcrations, they pre-
fumed he would fhew them no little favour, if he
fliould obtain the fupreme Government of the city,
chiefly by their afTiftance and co-operation. To fa-
cilitate thefe defigns, they had many private meetings,
at which they earneftly perfuaded him to take the
government wholly into bis hands, and promifed
to fupport him with all their intereft and power.
Several of the moft confiderable Commoners likewifc
joined them, particularly the families of the Peruzzi,
Acciaiuoli, Antellcfit and Buonaccorfi, who had con-
traded great debts, and not being able to pay them
out of their own eftates, were defirous of getting
thofe of other people into their hands ; and to free
themfelves from the importunity of their Creditors,
Ivere ready to enflave their Country. Such encoo-
ragenient and fo fair an opportunity, inflamed the
Duke, who was naturally ambitious, with a ftill
greater third of power : and to ingratiate himfelf with
the lower fort of the people by afting like a juft and
upright Magiftrate, he ordered aprocefsto be com-
menced againil thofe that had been entrufted with
the management of the late war againft the Lucchefe:
in confequence of which, Giovanni de Medici, Naddo
Hucellai, and Guglielmo Altoviti were put to death,
and feveral others banifhed, and many obliged to pay
large fumsof money for their pardon. This feverc
manner of proceeding alarmed the middle fort of
Citizens, though it was very grateful to the Nobility
and common people, as the latter generally take
pleafure in executions, apd the former were not a
Jittle rejoiced at the fall of thofe by whom they had
been fo grievoufly opprefied. So . that whenever the
Duke puffed through the ftrcets, they refounded with
acclamations and praifes of his juftice and refoluiion,
ivhilft pvery one exhorted him to perfevcre in his en-

deavours

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i# T B E H I 9 T O It r^ Bbofc tr.

deavoursto detedb the guilty and bring them tocendigii'
puni(hment.

Upon this change, tht^^uthority of the Twenty be*
gan to decline, and the awe and reputation of the
^ùke to increafe fo faft, that every Citizen, to (hew«
himfelf wdi aflFetìed to him, had the Neapolitan^
arms painted over his doorj nor was any thing
wanting but the mere title, to make him a Prince.
And being now ftrong enough, as he imagined, ta
' attempt any thing with fecurity, he gave the Signiory
to underftandi *• That he thought it neccflary for the
good of the city, that the fupreme power Ihould be
vetted in him ; and therefore, as it was a thing agree-
able to all the reft of the Citizens, he required them
M refign their authority.**

The Signiory, notwithftanding they had long fore-
fcen the ruin of their city, were not a little embar-
lai&d at this demand ; and though they were fenfibk
ctf the danger they were in, yet that they might not
fcem wanting in any aft of duty to their country, they
boldly refufed to comply with it. Upon which, the
^E)uke, (who out of an afFedation of Religion and
'Humility, had taken up his quarters at the rnona^
ftery of Santa Croce) in order to give the finifliing
ilroke to^ his wicked dcfigns, immediately iflued out
a Proclamation, wherein he commanded all the peo*
j)le to appear before him the next morning in the
piae^a belonging to that Convent. At this procla-
mation, the Signiory were ftill more alarnied than
they had been at his firft^ meflfage ^ and having called
together fuch of the Citizens as they thought nK)ft
zealotis for the liberty of their country, it was re-
vived, fìnce the power of the Duke was fo greats
and there was no other remedy left, to apply to him
IB an humble and fupplicatory manner; and try whe*
ther they could prevail upon him by entreaties, now
force was infufflcient, to defili from this attempt;
4)rif that co»ld not be effèéked, at leaft to goverti
liitm mth moregenclenefs^ andfnoderation* For this
pttrpo^ they deputed fome of their Members to

>eait

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BookH^ OF FLORENCR 139

^f)«i£ upon him ; one o£ whom addreflod him in the
^pUowing manner :

•* My Lord,

w We are come hither to expreis our fiirpri/è, in
jthe firft place, at your Demwd, and in the next» ac
yovir^ Proclamation to aflemble the people; pre*
faming it is your intention to extort that from us by
violence, which, upon private application» we could
not in duty comply with. It is not our defign to op«
pole force by force, but rather to reprefent to you
the hcav4nefs of that burden which you are fo defiroua
to take upon your qwa ibpuld^rs, and the dangers
that ar^ likely to attend it i that fo.you may hereafter
^member> and diftinguifli betwixt our advice and
that/which is given you by others, not out of any re*
gard to your perfon or intereft, but to fatiate their
own revenge and ambition» You are endeavouring
to enflavc our city, which has ever been free j. for the
government of it, which formerly has fometimes been
conferred on the Kings of Naples, or (bmexuher o€
tlbeir Houfe, was rather in confequence of an al-
Jiafice or aflfociation, than of a forced fubjedion*
UE^ve you conlidered how dear and important the love
of; Liberty muft be to fuch a Commonwealth as ours l
A principle that no force can ever fubduc^ no length
pf time can ever wear away, nor any other confider-
mon oveprbalapce. RecoUcift, Sir, I befeech you»
how great a force will be nece0ai!y to keep fo pow«
ftrful a city in fubjeftion. AM the foreign Merce-
paries you can hire will not be fufficient, and the
Citizens you cannot confide in : for thofe who ac
prcfcnt fe$m to be your friends,^and at whofe infti*
g^tion you hav^ taken this refolutiun, will be the firfb
10 confpire your ruin, in order to ufiirp the govern-
ment thcmfelv.es» when they have, wreaked then- ma»
ike upon their fellow-citizens, by youc means and af-^
^ftance. The populace, whicii ybu: chicly truft to,
will turn againft you upon any litde difguft; fo tbae
i^ a ihoi^t tune, you may expeót to fee the whole citf
6 in

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f4* T tt E^ HISTORY Book ff.

in arms, which will infallibly prove the deftrii&ioit
both of you and itfcif : for thofe Princes only can be
fecure in their government, who have but few ene-
mies, and fuch as are eafy to be taken off cither by
banifliment or death : but againft a univerfal difaf*
fedion, there can be no fecurity, as it will be im-
poflible to guefs with any certainty, from what hand
the ftroke may come ; and whofoevef he is, that has
reafon to fear every man, cannot befafe againft
any one. For if he cuts off fome, he is fure to ex-
pofe himfelf to ftili greater dangers, by enflaming
the haired of thofe that are left» and making them
more implacable and ripò for rtvenge. That time
is not able to eradicate* the love of Liberty, is fuffi-
ciently evident ; finc^ it has often happened in States
where the citizens themfelves were not free, that
many have exerted their moft ftrenuous endeavours
to be fo, merely upon the report of the bleffings of
Liberty, which they have received from their fa-
thers ; and when they fucceedcd, and tafted the
fweets of freedom, have defpifed all difficulties and
dangers to maintain it. And indeed, if they had
never heard of any fuch thing from their anceftors,
the daily fight of the public palaces, the courts of
juftice, the colours of their militia, and other monu-
ments of former Liberty, would naturally have in-
fpired them with a love of it. What exploits or de-
gree of merit, therefore, on your fide, though ever
£o confiderable and endearing, can poflibly be a fuf-
ficient recompcnce for the lofs of our Liberty, or
what do you think can ever make us forget the hap*
pinefs we once enjoyed ? If you was to add all Tuf-
cany to this State, and return to the city daily
crowned with fre(h vidories over our enemies, the
Honour would be yours and not ours, and the citi-
zens would gain fellow-flaves rather than fubjefts,'
which would only ferve to aggravate their mifery,
u^nd though you fliould be religious, or affable, of
juift, or bountiful to the laft degree, believe me, all
would not be fufiicient to gain the affèótions of the

peo^

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Book li: OF FLORENCE;. .lil

people; if you think otherwife, . you onlydeceitic
yourfelf ; for to men that have once live^ fr^i^tks
lighted chain will feem heavy^ and the lead reftraiftt
intolerable. In a State, which has been reduced tf>
fubjcftion by force, it is not poflible that the citi-
zens fliould live contentedly, even under a good
prince ; and it muft neceflarily happen, if he do^s
not conform himfclf to their defircs, that cither one
party or the other will fbcm be ruined. We leave
you to judge, therefore, whether it will be better .
for you to endeavour to ufurp an abfolute dominiop
oyer this city, and to hold it by downright force of
arms, (for which the poffeCBon of all the forts and
guards within, and all the friends that could be railed
abroad, have (rften been found infuifficicntj or to be
content with the authority and power we have akoady
given you. We would recommend the latter of thefc ,
two meafures to you, becaufe that Dominion only
can be of long continuance, which is voluntarily cob-
ferred -, and adyife you not to fufFer yourfelf to be
blindly led by ambition, to the brink of a precipi^f»
where you can neither retreat nor advance, and: fr^wn
whence you will inevitably be thrown down and pvw
whelmed in the ruins of the Commonwealth." ^v
Thefe cxpoftulations made but little impreflion up-
on the" Duke, who faid, ** That it was fo far from
'being his defign to take away their liberty, that he
came thither on purpofe to rettore it : that Citizajt
divided amongft themfelves were no better th^
"flaves, whilft thofe that were united might properly
be called free: that if he could extingqifli privai
ambition and inteftine difcord in Florence, by biS
manner of governing, furely he might be faid to re-
cftabliih their freedom, and not to deprive them •£
it : that he did not aflume the government out of aijf
ambition oF his own, but accepted it at the entreaties
of many of their fellow-qitizenss -and therefore chef
Vould do well to concur with them in thechoiceduy
^'had made of him. That as to the dangers lie w^s
' likely to cjqpdfe iimfelf to in this undertaking,^ lie did

ilOl

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t4S T H E H I S T O R Y Boot É.

not Mg^ixl them i as it would be mem ^nd pafiffà-
fiìtnMS €0 decKne an oppominity of doing good, for
ftar of any evil that might cnfue ^ and that none but
towards would lay afide a glorious entcrprifc, merely

upon the uncertainty of fuctefs. That lie hoped to
behave himfelf in fuch a manner^ as would foon 06-'
Mgc them to acknowledge they had feared hirti too
much, and truftcd him too little.** The Sigriiory
finding by this anfwer, that no good was to be done,
were forced to confcnt, that the people fhould affbn-
We the next morning in the Piazza before their pa-
lace, and the government be transferred, by their au-
cbority, to the Duke, for the fpace of one year, upon
the fanoe conditions that it had been formerly com*
inirted irtto the hands of the Duke of Calabria*

On the eighth of September, 1342, rheDuke, at--
tended by Giovanni della Tofò, with all his friends,
and many other citizens, came into the Piazza : and
taking the Signiory with him, mounted the * Ring-
bierà, or landing-place, at the top of the ftcps before
the Palace Gate, where he caufed the Agreement be-

' twikt him and the Signiory to bepublickly read ; and

-When the perfon who read it came to that Article,
where the goverhìrìcnt was faid to be given him for a
year, the people fhouted out, fir Ufe^for life. Upon
whkh, Francifco Ruftichegli, one of the Sìgniórt,
TO^ up to have fpoken, and endeavoured to compote

^he turfeùlt ; but he was interrupted, and could not
be hdard. So that the Duke was made their Sove-
re^n Lord by the confent of the people, not for a
year only^ but for ever ; and afterwards carried about
the Piazza in a chair, amidft the acclamations of the
rtuititude. It is a cuftom amongft the Florentines,
that whoever. is appointed captain of the Palace
Guard, is to ihut himfelf clofe up m it, in the abfcnce

' * At 5t wa« ttfualto addrefs tlie people upon puWick occaiionsfrom
this and other fuch emmences, the word Ringhiera came at laft to fik^
sify a Ro^um» Pulpit, or reading Delk. From hence» I f^wfc&f
tonnésihè Italian Jerb aringarCpùi^fx^ViiùikMrw^uer, and tbelAgliib

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Bocik li ' 0*F FLORENCE. ^45

of ^^ Signioiiy. This charge happened at f bat time
to be in the hands of Rinicri Giotto^ who being cor«
rupted by the Duke's 'friends, admitted htm into the
pahice without making any refìClance, to the ^feac
o&ence and difhomour of the Signiory, who rewfued
to their own boufes, and left it to be {Sundered tijr
the Duke's fervants, after they hid torn the Standard
of the City to pieces, and planted their mafterV
there in ixs ftead : at which, all the good i^hm$
Upmrturiiiiiil^i grieved and mortified, whilft tho^ trim
citfeer4^ of malice or ftupidity had coniènted cokhis
€le£tÌQ^i'%d not a little rejoice.

Tfee Duke was no fooner in poifcfiimi of the O^-
vernmeat, but in order to take away the authority of
thofe Who bad been the moft zealous advocates for
their libeities, he forbad the Signiory to aflembie any
more at the Palace, and affigned them a private houfe
to meet in. He took away the colours from the Gonfa»
toniers of the feveral Companies ; he repealed the old
Laws againft the Nobi)ity,ihe difchaqged all Prifonert»
:recalled the Bardi and Frefeobaldi from banifbmentt
prohibited the wearing of fwords or other arms, and
to fecure himfel^ againil hns enemies within the Ctt^r^
he made as many friends as he covild in the adjacent
, territories : for which purpofc, he Ihewed great favour
to the people of Arezzo, and all others that were m
any wi^ dependent upon the city <^ Florencr. He
concluded a peace with the Pifans, though he bad beea
veiled with abfolute power on purpofe to carry O»
the war agait>ft them with greater vigour^^ He took
away the fecuricies and ^ignments from the Iktov
, chants, who had lent money to the State» in the war
with the Luccheie, and not only increaied the former
taxes, but exaded new ones from the people. He
entirely didblved the authority <^ the Signiory, atdi
f^t up three new Rettori or Judges, Baglione da Br-
vfugia» Guglielmo da Scefi^ and Ccrettieri Viiilomia^
who weiie his council ^pon all occalions. The im-
pofts he laid upon the Citizens were very grievous»
Lis.judicial proceedings partial and ui^uft» ^nd diat

iiuim*

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944 THEHISTORt Bodk tt

.InioiUity and (hew of Religion which be bad put on
at firft, were now fucceeded by fuch an intolerable de-
gree of haugbtinefs and cruelty, that many of the
Nobility^ and mod confiderable Commoners^ were
condemned and put to death, after they had been tor*
tured in a new and unheard-of mannen His tyranny
was no lefs infupportable in the Country tiKin in the
City : for after a while, he appointed fix more Judges,
to plunder and opprefs the other towns. He was
jealous of the Nobility, though he lay under great
obligations to fome of them, and had recalled others
from exile -, as he thought they were too generous
and high-fpirited to bear with his inlblent manner of
governing. Upon which account, he beg») to pay
his court to the people, by whofe favour, and the af-
iiftance of foreign forces, he hoped he Ihould be able
to fupport himfelf in his tyrannical ufurpation.

• In the moiith of May, at which time the Floren-
tines ufually celebrate many Holidays, he caufed the
inferior fort of people to be divided into fcveral Com-
panies, to which he gave pay, and honoured them^

.with colours and fplendid titles: upon which, ihene

was nothing but feafting and rejoicings to be feen in

: every part of the city, one half of the inhabitants be^

'ing employed in vifiting, and the other in receiving,

and entertaining them. And when the news of his

• great power and authority began to be fpread abroad,
many of the French nation reforted to his court, to
whom he gave preferments, and (hewed more favour
than to any others, as perfons whom he thought he
might thoroughly confide in : fo that Florence in a
fhort time became; fubjeft not only to French men,
but to the French cuftoms and drefs, every one of
both fexes endeavouring to^ imitate their fafliions,
without any regard to modefty, of even common de-
cency. But what feemed more intolerable was, the

. violence that was offered by him and his followers, to
all forts of women, from the lowcft to the higheft.
The citizens therefore were provoked beyond all pa-
licncc, m fee the majefty of their government thus

trampled

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Book ir. O F F L O R E N e E. 145

trampled upon, their ordinances abolilhed, their Laws
annulled, all honeft converfation corrupted, and mo-
defty every where drfpifed and infultcd : for thofe
Mfho had not been accuftomed to regal pomp, could
riot, without infinite concern, behpld the Duke pa-
rading the City, furrounded by guards, both on foot
and on horfeback. But as there was no remedy, they
were forced tJO court and honour him in appearance,
whilft they mortally hated him in their hearts: and.
they were not a little terrified at the frequent execu-
tions, and continual impofitions, with which he weak-
ened and impovcrifhed the City. Nor was the Duke
himfclf ignorant of the general odium he had incurred,
or without fears of his own, upon that account ; tho*
he afFeéted to appear, as if he thought himfclf ex-
tremely beloved.

It happened, that Matteo c3e Morozzi, either to
gain the Duke's favour, or to exculpate himfelf, dif-
covered a certain plot againft him, in which the fa-
mily of the Medici, and fomc others, were concern-
ed : but the Duke was fo far from making an enquiry
into it, that he ordered the Informer to be put to
death* : by which manner of proceeding, he deterred
every one from giving him any fort of information
that was neceflary for his fafety, and gave great en-
couragement to fuch as confpircd his deftruótìodir

• This was afting in a manner very difiercnt from moft Tyrants,
and indeed from many wife States and Princes, who have always
thought it neceflary to encourage Informers, at leaft to a certain de-
gree, upon this maxim, that it men are falfely acciiied, they will be
acquitted when th^y are brought to a fair trial j and thofe who are
guilty, cannot be punilhed if thev are not firft accufed. TuUy, ia '
his oration pro Sextio Ro/ch, fajs, that though the Dogs that were kept
in thetapitol could not diftinguifti thieves trom honell men, yet their
barking at every body that came thiiher in the night, was of ufe, at
it ferved to alarm the people, and put them upon their guard. Tluii
it is the intereft of the State to encourage accufers, in order to deter
thofe who might otherwife diliurb the public tranquillity. Anto-
ninus Pius, however, would neither lillen to Informers, nor fuffer
fuch to be puniflied as had been aóluaily concerned in confpiraciet
againft him ; and when the Senate was very urgent with him, to
make an enquiry into their proceedings, he anfwered, ** ho did not
chufc to have it known, that thrrtf was any body who did not loTs
him/' Vi&or. in Vit Anton. Pii. /

Vol. I. L He

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,4;* T H E H I S T O R Y Book IL

yic likcwife caufed the tongue of Bcttoni Cini to be
cutout, with fuch circumftances of cruelty, thathc
died of it -, and for no other reafon, but becaufe he
had complained of the heavy taxes that he had laid
upop the city : an aft of barbarity which exceedingly
increafed the rage and difdain of the Citizens, who
having been ufcd both to fay and to do every thing
lyith the greatcft freedom, could not bear to have
their hands tied ujp, and their mouths (topped in this
manner.

. Thcfe outrages were fufficient to roofe not only
the Florentines, (who neither know how to value
their liberty nor endure flavery^ but cv^n the moft
àbjeót nation upQn earth, to attempt the recovery of
their freedom. Many of the Citizens therefore, of
all ranks, were determined either to fhake off the
yoke, or to die glorioufly in the caufe of Liberty : fo
that there were three Confpiracies on foot againft him,
ja!^ the fanie time, amongft three different forts of
people^ the Nobility, the Commons, and the Arti*
ficcrs and Tradefmen. For befides the motives
arifing from a general oppreffion, each party had . its
^rticular reafons. The Commons had been deprived
cf the government, the Nobility were not reftored to
it, ^nd the Tradefmen had loft all their bufinefs*
j(Vgpolo Acciaivoli, who was then Archbifliop of Flo-
rence, at firft had highly extolled the aftions and good
qualities of the Duke in fome of his Sermons to the
ptoplc^ and wonderfully conciliated their affeftions to
him : but w|;icn he faw him in full pofleffion of the
Government, and exercifing his power in that arbi-
trary and defpotic man^J^he began to think he had
abufed his fellow Citiz^s; and to make them fome
amends, refolved to put himfelf at the head of ther
firft and moft. powerful confpiracy, in which he en-
gaged with the Bardi, Roffi, Frefcobaldi, Scali, Al-
Ipviti, Magalotti, Strozzi, and Mancini. The prin-
xlpal conductors of the fecond conljpiracy were Manno
i^d Co/fo Donati, and under th^m the Paza^i, Ca-
vicciulli, Cerchi and Albizi. Of the third, Antc^id
.;. .: Adi-

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Book II. OF FLORENCE. ' i^i

Adimari was the Head, and joined by the families
of the Medici, Bordini, Riicellai, and Aldobràndinu
Their defign was to have killed him in the houfe of
the Albizi, whither it was imagined. he would come
on Midfummer-day to fee the Horfc-races ; but, as
it happened, he did not go thither on that day, and
their defign was difappointed. The next propofal
^as, to affaffinate him in the (Ireet: but that was
thought too* difficult, becaufe he always went well
^rmed arid attended : and as he feldom took the fame
round twice together, they could not certainly tell
"where it would be mod proper to lie in wait for him.
'Some were of opinion it would be the bed way to dif-
jratch him in the Council : but then it was confidered
that even after he was dead, they muft of neceflity be
left to the difcretion of his Guards.
' Wh'ilft thcfe things were in debate amongft the
ccnfpirators, Antonio Adimari communicated the af-
fair to fome of his friends at Siena in hopes of their
afliftance, told them the names of the principal per-
forms that were engaged in it, and afllired them the
whole city was difpofed to (hake off their yoke:
upon which, one of the Siencfe imparted the matter
to Francifco Brunellefchi, not. with any defign to
" have betrayed the confpiracy, but becaufe he took
' it for granted that he was privy to it ; and Francifco,
' cither out of fear or malice to fome that were con-
cerned, difcoveréd the whole to the Duke, who im-
' mediately ordered Paolo da Mazzecca and Simone da
" Montezappoli to be apprehended. Thefe two being
examined made a full confeffion, and acquainted the
Duke wuh the number and quality of the confpira-
tors, at which he was not a little frighted : however,

* afier he had conf^lted his friends, he thought fit ra-

• ;ther to fummon the reft to appear before him, than
to ky^violent hands upon them ; becaufe if they fled,
the danger would be over without any further diftur-
bance. In confequence of this refolution, he in the
firft place fent for Adimari, who relying upon the
number and fupport of his accomplices, boldly made

, L 2 his

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uS T H E H I S T O R Y Book If.

his appearance and was fcnt to prifon. After this
ftep, he was advifcd by Francifco Brunellelchi and
Uguccione Buondelmontc to go to the houfes of the
others with his guards, and to feize upon them there
and put them to death ; but confidering how many
enemies he had in the town, he thought he had not
ftrength fufficient to do that, and therefore took an- ^
other refolution, which, if it had fuceeedcd, would
have freed him from the moft powerful of his ene-
mies, and made him ftrong enough to over-awe the
feft.

It had been his cuftom to call the Citizens toge-
ther and defirc their opinions and advice upon any
emergency ; and now having affcmbled as many forces
as he could, he drew out a lift of three hundred
Citizens and gave it to his fcrjeants to fumnion every
one of them» on a pretence that he wanted jo con-
fultywith them -, defigning when they were met, either
toSftdl or imprifon them ail. But the confinement of
Apmari, and the gathering together fuch a number
of armed men, which could not be done withoiat fome
buftle, made many of them, cfpecially tlif Confpira-
tors, fo fufpicious, jhat the moft refolute amongft
them pofitively ftjalW to obey the fummons. After
the lift had been miJ by them all, they had a meet-
ing, in which theyienc'ouraged eafib'other to take up
arms and die like n^en with theh^ fwdfds in their
hands, rather than fliffcr themfelves to be driven like
Iheep to the flaughtcr: fo that in lefs than an hour
all thofe that were concerned in the different Confpira-
ctes, having communicated their defigns to each other,
refolved to raife a tumult the next day {which was the
26th of July. 134^) in the old Market-place, upon
which tHify were all to take arms and excite the peo-
ple to rife and attempt the recovery of their liberty.
The next day therefore, when the Bell rung for
Nones ^^ they all rofe, as had been agreed on, and

• The original is, al fmno dì nona. The Italians begin their ac-
count of hours from fun fet> and end it at fun fet again, which in-

at

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Book IL OF FLORENCE. 149

at the cry of Liberty^ Liberty^ the people likewifc ran
to arms in their leverai Quarters, under the Colours
of the City, which had been fecretly delivered to
them before hand by the Confpirators for that pur-
pofe. All the heads of families, both of the Nobi-
lity and Commonalty, met together and took an Oath
to ftand by each other in their own defence and thfe
deftru6lion of the Duke, except fome of the Buon-
dclmonti and Cavalcanti, and thole four families of
the Commoners that had been the chief inftruments
in conferring the fovereignty upon him, who ran arm-
ed to the Piazza of the Palace with a parcel of Butch-^
crs and others of the dregs of the people at their heels
to defend the Duke.

In the mean time the Duke, not a little alarmed at
thefe proceedings, was very bofy in fortifying the
Palace ; and thofe of his Guards that lodged in other
parts of the city, mounted their horfes and rode to-
wards the Piazza-, but in their way thither they were
attacked fcveral times and many of them killed.
However, as about three hundred Horfe had affem-
bled there to fuppprt him, he was in doubt whether
he (hould fally out and face his enemies, gr defend
himfelf in the Palace, On the other hand, the Me-
dici, Cavicciulii, Rucellai, and other families who
had fufFered moft by him, were apprehenfivc that if
lie fhould make a fally, many who had taken arms
againft him would declare themfelves his friends :
^nd therefore being refolved to prevent him from falp
Jying out and gaining more ftrength, they drew up
and attacked his forces that were affVmbled in the
Piazza. Upon this, the families which appeared at
firft in the Dukc*s defence, iceing themfelves fo yi-

cludes a fpacc of twenty four hours. And as the fun fet« with them
about nine o'clock at that feafon of the Year, their ninth hour mult
be about fix the next morning, as we reckon time — // fuono di nofta,
is alfo often ufed by Italian wrirers, for ringing the bell for Nonet
about mid day, which is one of thpr ftated hours of prayer. Thf
latter feems to be meant here, at the tumult was to be begun in the
Market place, which at tliat time of the day might be fuppofed tolsa
fuUeft of people.

L 3 goroufly

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jSo T H E H I S T O R Y Book H.

gprpuily aflauked, immediately changed their fide^
aqd dcfening him in his diftrefs, all joined their felr
Jow-cirizens, except Uguccionc Euondelmonte, whp
withdrew into the Palace, and Gianozzo Cavalcanti
vfho retreated wich fome of his party into the New
Market, where he got upon a table and made an ha-
rangue to the people, in whi( h he eirncftiy cxhortc4
thofe whom he found in arms there to halten to th^
Drake's afliftance. And to intimidate them, he mag-
nified i;is ftrength, and told them,, that every man of
them would be put to death if they perfiiled in their
rebellion againft their Prince. But as nobody either
fcemed to regard him or thought it worth their while
to chaftife him for his infolence, afier he had takea
much pains to no purpofe, he reiblved not to hazard
his perfon any longer, and Ineaked away to his own
houfe. The difpute was very fharp in the mean time
betwixt the people and the Duke's party in the Piazza,
and though the latter were reinforced from the Palace,
they were worded, part of them furrendering to the
enemy, others quitting their horfes and efcaping on
foot into the Palace. Whilft they were thus engagecj
in. the Piazza, Corfo and Amerigo Denoti with fome
others of the people broke open the Prifons, burnt
fhe records of the Judges Courts and publick Chamr
ber, plundered the houfes of the Magiftrates and kil-
led all the Duke's creatures they could irjcet with.
The Duke on the other hand, feeing the Piazza was
left, th4t the whole city was become his* enemy, and
no hopes of relief left, refolvcd to try if he could re-
gain the affcdions of the people by fome afts of grace
apd indulgence. For which purpofe he knighted
Antonio Adimari in the fijft place, though much
againft his own inclination, and with very little fatifl
faftion to the other: he thtn fent for all the reft
whom he had irriprifoned, and fet them at liberty with
promifes of hi$ future friendlh p and favour : he like-
wife caufed his own ttandard to be taken down, and
that of the people to be fet up again at the Palace :
all which things being done in a very ungracious

man-
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tìook It OF FLORENCE. t^i

I manner, and put of mere nccefiity, had but little cf-
fe6t. So that he ft ill continued blocked up in the
Palace to his great mortification, when he faw that by
grafping at too much power he was Hkely to lofe all,
and either to be famiflied or maffacred in a few days.
After this fucctfs, the Citizens aflimblcdin St.
Reparata's in order to reform the Government, and
appointed fourteen perfons, one half of then> of the
Nobility and the other of the Common^ers, who in
conjunàion with the Arclibilhop fhould have full
power to new-model the State as they pleafed.' They
alfo committed the authority of the Podcfta to fix
Magiftrates, who were to adminifter jufticc till the
arrival of the perfon whom they Ihould make choice
of to fill that Office. There were many people in
Florence at that time, who had come thither to the
afiiftance of the Citizens ; and amongft the reft, fix
Deputies from Siena, men of great efteem in their
own Country, who endeavoured to bring about fomc
accommodation betwixt the people and the Duke.
But the people ablolutely refuied toliften to any over-
tures of that kind, except Guglielmo da Scefi, toge-
ther with his fon and Cerettieri Vifdomini, were deli-
vered up to them, which the Duke would not con-
fent to by any means, till the threats of thofe that
were blocked up with him in the Palace obliged him
to comply. G rearer certainly and more cruel is the
refcntment of the People when they have recovered
their liberty, than when they are afting in* defence of
it. Guglielmo and his Son were brought out and
given up to thoufands of their enemies 5 and though
the Son was not quite eighteen years of age, yet nei-
ther his youth, nor innocence, ,nor the gracefulnefs
of his perfon were fufficient to protefl: him from the
rage or the multitude. Many who could not get near
enough to reach them whilft they were alive, thruft
their fwords into them after they were dead j and not
content with this, they tore their carcaffes to pieces
with their nails and teeth : that fo all their fenfes might
be glutted with revenge ; and after they had fcafted

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their cars with their groans, their eyes with their
wounds, and their touch with tearing the flefh off their
bones; as if all this was not enough, the tafte' like-
wife might have its (hare and be gratified. This fa-
vagc Barbarity, how fatal foever to thofe two, was the
prefervation of Cerettieri ; for the people having fpent
their fury upon thefe unfortunate men, entirely forgot
him, and he was privately conveyed in the night by
fome of his friends and relations out of the Palace
into a place of fccurity.

When the people were thus fatiated with blood,
the Duke and his friends were fufFered to withdraw
with their efFcfts unmolefted out of Florence, on con-
dition that he would renounce all claim and pretcn-
fions to any authority over the city, and ratify his re-
nunciation when he got to Cafentino, a place out of
the Florentine Dominions ; in purfuance of which
agreement, he left Florence on the fixth of Auguft^
cfcorted by many of the Citizens, and upon his arri-
val at Cafentino, confirmed his renunciation, though
with much reluftance -, and indeed it is very likely
he would not have done it at all, if Conte Simone had
not threatened to carry him back again to Florence*.
This Prince, as his aftions have fully fhewn, was of
a fanguinary and avaricious difpofition, difiicult of
accefs, and haughty in his anfwers. As he did not
regard theafFeftions of the people, wliom he hoped
to enflave, he rather chofe to be feared than loved.
Nor was his perfon lefs difagreeable than his beha-
viour was odiou$. For he was very low of ftature,

• Livy relates, 1. xxiv. c. «i. thatf Dionyiius the tyrant ufed to fay,
•* That rather than return to a private condition on horfeback, he
would be dragged to it by the feet/' It is no wonder, indeed, that
tvrant» refign their power with reln^anre; for v^hen they have done
io, how can they refund the fums of which they have plundered their
country ? How can they indemnify thofc whom they have imprifoned ?
How can they rettore life to the perfons the) have pur to death I
"Who will defend them againftthe general refentment of the. people?
PcrJander faid, « it was dangerous for a tyrant to abdicate even of
hii own accord." Yet Sylladid it, and died fl natural death, after he
had (hcd the blood of 100,000 private men, 90 Senators, 15 of con-
fular dignity, and above 2000 GenUemtn.

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of a fwarthy completion, with a long thin beard:
fo that he .was every way defpicabic and worthy of
general contempt : and the enormities of his admi^
niftration in the courfe of about ten months^ deprived
him of that Dominion which he had acquired by
the contrivance and co-operation of bad Citizens.

This revolution in the city encouraged all the reft
•of the towns under the jurifdiftion of the Floren-
tines to take up arms for their liberties ; fo that in a
Ihort time,. Arezzo, Caftiglione, Fiftoia, Volterra,
Colle and St. Gimignano revolted ; and the wholie
tcr-ritory of Florence, after the example of its Metro-
polis, (hook off its yoke and became entirely free : in
this manner, the Florentines, by the fteps they took
to recover their own liberty, at the fame time taught
their VaflTals to do the like. ,

After the Duke was thus depofcd, the Council of
fourteen and the Archbifliop confulting together,
thought it would be better to attach their former
fubjeéls to them by pacific meafurea, tiian to widen
the breach by hoftilities ; and pretending to be no
lefs pleafed with their liberty than their own, they
fent Deputies to Arezzo to renounce the Sovereignty
which they before had over it, and to enter into an
alliance with the Citizens: that fo, though they could
not for the future command them as fubjecls, they
might upon occafion make ufe of their afliftance as
friends. This prudent refolution had a very good
effefl: ; for all the reft of the towns, except Arezzo,
returned to their former obedience in a few months,
and Arezzo itfelf followed their example not many
years after. 1 hus experience Ihews that fome ends
are obtained with lefs danger and expence by coolnefs
and indifference, than by purfuing them with paffion
and impetuofity.

When affairs abroad were compofed in this man-
ner, they began to fettle the form of their govern-
ment at home 5 and after fome 'difputes betwixt the
Nobility and the People, it was agreed that one third
of the Signiory, and one half of the other Magi-

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that city came to their afllftance : by which means,
things were accoirimodared for a time» the tumults
compofed, and the people fatisBed with continuing in
poffeffion of their liberty and government, without
in3i£king any punifhment upon the author of this
difturbance.

The f ope had been informed of thefc broils at
Florence^ and fent his Legate Niccolò da Prato thi-
ther to quiet them if poffìble } who, bcmg a prelate
of great experience, addrefs, and reputation, foon
gained fuch an influence over the people, that they
gave him a commiflion to new-model the city as he
pleafed. And as he rather inclined to favour the
Ghtbelioe faftion, he propofed to recall all thofe of
that party who had been baniihed : but thought it ne-
ceuary, in the firft place, to ingratiate himfelf ftill
further with the people, by reftoring their ancient
Companies, which added much to their ftrength, and
diminilhcd that of the Nobiliry. When he thought
he had thus fufficiently engaged their aifeótionis, he
determined to bring back the exiles, and tried feveral
means to eflTed: it : but was fo far from fuccceding,
that he became obnoxious to the Governors, and was
forced out of the 'city„ which he left in the utmoft
confuGop, and was provoked to fuch a degree at the
treatment he had met with, that he put it under an
interdifl: at his departure.

Two faótions not being fufficient, the city was nov
divided and fubdivided into feveral, as thofe of the
People and Nobility, the Guelphs and the Ghibelines,
the Bianchi and the Neri j and fome who wifhed for
the return of the exiles, being difappointed in their
hopes now the Legate was gone, grew clamorous and
outrageous : fo that the whole city was in an uproar,
and many fkirmiflies enfued. Thofe that were (noil
active in raifing this clamour, were the Medici and
Giugni, who had openly fided with the Legate in fa-
vour of the exiles.

In the midft of thofe rencounters, which daily hap-^
pened in all parts of the town^ a fire broke out» toadd^

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to 'tjèfr cortftlrioti, tvhich fptèàd ¥rom the "Ónò di
S^ti MrcHete (w^Hc^rfe k firft began) to the hòufcs of
Wi'e À'b?batì, àtid 'fròth therfcè to 'thòfe of the Càpon'-
fecttfr, '♦vhich 'i^ere ali brirnt 'down to the ground, to-
'^ev ^fth the hrfufes òf the Nf àtei; Amreri, toichì,
U?p¥iittìi, Là^l5erti, Ca.valcanti, and ali the nc^ Mar*
fcet : ÌTottì wh?fhcè the fiàfties fpread to Porta xìi Santa
M^rià, >^ich wàs entirely confa rf)ed ; iand "being
driven by the wìqd toWàrd^ the pfd Bridge, thlsy like-
wH^ •defn9¥ilted theliòtifcs of the Gherardini, Pulci^
AtirtA:i, 'Lucàrdefi, ànd fò inany others, that thè
trbnfibèr àmò'unted to above *thirte'en hi^ndred.

Màfny v^erC of 'opinion that this misfortune was tTie
fcffèi^ OT atcrdehti ahd tfeat fóme houfes took fire by
fchahde, whiift the owners df theYn were engaged in à
Bcii'htìBi Which happened at that tinne. Others af-
firm, th^t it wafs owing to tiie viljahy of Neri Abbati,
Prior of. St. Pietro Schèraggjb, à difloluté and abàn*
tioned fellow, who, feeing every body fo bufily em-
•ptóyed, took that opportunity of doihg a rrtifchief
for ^hich there cotild be no rem-edy ; an^d that i'c
tiii^t fuccced the better, artd ttiake him left fuf-
péftfed, he aifo fet fire to thè hóuTts df his own friends,
Nvhère he hà:d a convenience of doih^ it.

It was in July 1304, Nvhien Ffoftndè Was vifiied in
thfs latn^ntable manner with fire 'and fword. At
Which time, Corfo Donati Was the only perfon of any*
drftrmìHòn that did not take up aria's in thofe tumults:
for he thought that when all fideS grew cired^f fight-
?hg, and inclined to a reconciliation, he was the more
Irkdy, upon that àtccotmt, to be called in as an arbi-
trator to decide their difteretice^. Accordingly, thej^
Ibdh after Jaid doWn their arms, t'ftoùgh more out of
Weàrinfeft df ttieir miferits, anfd rhàft they might hàvà
èWnt to take breath, tfah from ahy t"eal defifc of be-
?ng Vc'ahitcd, a:hd living in peace : for iipòii the whole,
ft Wai only ftiputatfcd, that the Exiles Ò^ould not be
Tdfirrèd to returii 5 Whrch Was àahréà to by thofe that
favoured them, merely beeatifé thtjr proved to bè thè
\<rfeaker fide. *

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The Legate, at his return to Rome, being informed
of thefe new difturbances at Florence, told the Pope,
that if he had any defire of compofing them, it would
be the beft way, in his opinion, to fend for twelve of
the principal malecontents of that City, and to detain
them at Rome for fome time: for when the fomenters
of thofe evils were removed, it would be an eafy
matter to extinguifh them. This advice was fo well
approved of by the Pope, that he pited the above-
mentioned number of thofe citizens to appear before
him, (amongft whom was Corfo Donati) who readily
obeyed the fummons. But as foon as they were fet
out ,upon their journey, the Legate found means to
acquaint the Exiles, that if ever they hoped to return
to Florence, that was their time, as the City was then
clear of the only men that had authority enough to
oppofe their entrance. Upon this encouragement,
the Citizens that had been banifhed, drawing together
what forces they could, immediately marched towards
Florence, and not only entered the city in that part
where the new walls were not yet thoroughly finifhed,
but advanced as far as the Piazza di St. Giovanni,
It is certainly worthy of notice, that thofe very ci-
tizens, who but a little before had exerted themfclvcs
in the moft iirenuous manner for their return, when
they petitioned in an humble and fubmiffive manner
to be re-admittcd, were the firft that took up arms
againft them, now they faw them approach in ahoftile
manner, and joined with the people to drive them
back again, as they efFc6tually did -, for fuch was the
fpirit of patriotifm amongft them in thofe days, that
they chearfully^ave up all private interefts and friend-
fhips for the fake of the publick good. Their mif-
.carriage in this attempt, may chiefly be imputed to
leaving part of their forces at Laftra, and not waiting
for Tolofetto Uberti, who was advancing with three
hundred horfe from Piftoia to their afliftance; as they
imagined expedition was of much greater importance
than numbers at that time : and indeed, it is certain^
that in fuch cafes, a fair opportunity is often loft by

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delay ; but at the fame time we muft confider, that
precipitate cntcrprizes are fcldorh fupported by a pro-
per force.

After the Exiles were thus repulfed^ the Citizens re-
lapfed into their former diftraftions : and in order to=
deprive the Cavalcanti of the authority which they
had aflfumed^ they feizcd upon theCaftleof Le Stinche,
io the Val de Greve, which had been in pofleffion of
that family for a great number of years : and as thofe
who were then in this Caftle, were the firft that were
committed to the public prifon which had been lately
built, that edifice from thence took the name of Lc
Stinche, which it ftill retains. The next ftcp that the
governors of the commonwealth took, was to re*
eftablilh the Companies of the People, and to rettore
the Colours under which the Arts had formerly been
ufed to aflfemble : the Captains, the Gonfaloniers, or
Standard-bearers of the Companies, and theOfficers of
Juftice, were called together, and ordered not only
to aflift the Signiory in times of peace with their
counfel, but to fupport and defend them by dint of
arms in all exigencies and commotions. To affift the
two Judges who had been conftituted in the beginning
of their ftate, they appointed an officer, called il Ef^
fecutoret or Sheriff, who was to aft in conjunftion
with the Gonfaloniers, and to fee their orders carried
intoexecution, whenever the Nobility ftiould be guilty
of any enormity or aft of oppreffion.

But the Pope dying in the^ mean time, Corfo and
the other eleven Citizens, returned to Florence, where
they might all have lived in peace, if the reftlefs am-
bition of Corfo had not occafioned frefli troubles.
In order to make himfclf popular, he conftantly op-
pofed the Nobility in all their fchemes, and which way
foever he obferved the people to incline, he turned all
his authority to fupport them in it, and gain their af-
feftions : fo that in all contefts and divifions, or when
they had any extraordinary point to carry, they al-
ways reforted to him, and put themfclves under his
direftioiis. This created him much hatred and envy

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^mpngft the mod conGderable Cuizens, which at laft
mcrcafcd to fuc|> a degree^ th^t the fa^^ipn of the
Neri divided and quarrelled amongft themfelvcs, when
th^y faw Corfo avail himfelf in fuf h a manner of the
affe^ons of the people, and join with the enemies of
the public to promote his own private views: yet
fuch was the awe they ftood in of his perfon and au-
thority, that cyery one was afraid of him. However,
as the moft likely way to alienate the affcftiops of the
people from him,^ they gave out, that he fecretly de-
figned to fei^e upon the government, ,and ms^ke bim-
^If King( which it was no difficult matter to make
them believe, from his magnificent, anc^ indeed pro-
fufe, manner of living, which far exceeded thofe
bounds of moderation that ought not to be tranf-
grcficd by apy private Citizen or Subjeft, andwas cal-
culated, they (aid, to ièrve fome dangerous purpofe.
And this fufpicion was not a little corroborated, when
they faw him, foon after, married to a daughter of
Uguccione della Faggiuola, head cyi the Bianchi an4
Ghibelines, and a man of very great intereft and
power in Tufcany.

As foon as this alliance came to the knowledge of
his enemies, they grew fo bold upon it, that they
took up arms againit him *, and the greater part of
jbe people, i^ftcad of" appearing in his defence, for-
^ok him and joined his adverfaricsj the chief of
whom were Rodo della Tofa, Pazziano de Pa^zi,
Geri Spini, and Berto Brunellelchi. Thefe and their
friends, with a great multitude of armed men, aflem-
blcd at the fteps of the Palace of the Signiory^ by
whofe command an accufatioo was pjeferrcd againft
Corfo to Pietro Branca, captain of the people, as ^
pctfon, vihcj^ by the afliftance of Uguccione, afpired
to make hiimfelf abfoUite, Upon which impeach-
npent, being cited to appear before him,^ he refufecj
to obey the fummons ; and was therefore declared ^
contumacious rebel, in lefs than, two hours after hf
^d been accufcd. This fentencc being prono^nced^
the Sigoiory, with the Companies of tljc peopte unj

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Book II. O F F L O R E N C E. xif

dcr their fevenatl eóltìwrs, went dircftly to'-apprehemd'
hinfi. Corfo, on the other hand, not in the leaft dif-
màycd, either at the rigour of the fentence, the atr-
tkority of tlie SIgniory, the number of his enemies,
OF the'iftGtìnftam*y of his^ friends, many of whom had
now deferred him, immediately began to fortify hià
houfe, in hopes of being able to defend himfelf there,
till Ug^acdofie (to whom he had fent word of the des-
perate eircumftàncés he was in) could come to his re-
lief. The avenues to his houfe were barricatded anxf
guarded by thofe of bis party that ffill adhered ta
Kim, in fuch a manner, that though the aflkilants^
were numerous, they could not force therr way throaghi
rtiem. Many were killed and wounded on both fides*
in this a^ion. Which was very Iharp : at laft, the peo-
ple finding they could not enter that way, got into''
the neighbouring houfes, and unexpeftedly brokrf
through the v^aHs of them into his. Corfo feeing
kimfelf thus furroun<fed ona fijdden by his ene*mies,.
and tfeat^there was no hope of foccour from*Ugtxc»
eione, nor any other refuge left, rcfolved to try if it
wa9 poflible to make his efcape.

AdVancii^, therefore, with Gherardo Bondini, antf
ibwe others of his moft refolute and faithful friends,
he mad^ fo furious an attack upon the enemy, that
' be broke through them, and fled out of the Porta:
alia Cruce, However, as they were clofely purfued,
Gherardo was killed by Boccaccio CaviciuUi, upon
«be Pbme ad Africo, and Corfo taken prifoner at Ro*
ve:&zano^ by fotìie Catalan horfe that were in the pay •
of the Signiory. But as he could not endure thd
thoughts of being infukcrf, and perhaps torn to pieces?
by a viétoribus enemy, he threw himfclf {torn i\\%
horfe to the ground, as they were bringing* Kim back
to Florence, where he was flain by one of tiie guards r
his body was afeenwards picked up by the monks of
St. Sahài, and interred without any folemnity, or fe-
pulcbral honours. Such was the unfortunate end of
Corfo Donati, to whom his country, and the Neri;
owed much,, both of their good anti bad fortune:

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Vfichout doubt, if he had not been of fo refUefs a dif-
poficion, his memory would have been held in greater
Honour. However, his name defervcs to be ranked
amongft thofe of the moil eminent men that our city
has ever produced i though indeed, it cannot be de-
nied, that the turbulency of his fpirit made both his
country and party forget their obligations to him,
and at lafl, was not only the caufe of his own death,
but brought many evils upon them, Uguccione had
advanced as far ^s Remoli, in his way to Florence,
with fupplies to relieve his fon-in-law ; but being in-
formed there, that he was fallen into the hands of the
people, and imagining that all fuccour would then be
too late, he thought it the moft prudent way to turn
back again, as he might otherwife very likely preju-
dice himfelf, without being able to do him any fer«
vice.

After the death of Corfo, which happened in the
year 1308, all tumults ceafed, and every body lived
quietly, till news arrived that Henry the Emperor,
was come into Italy with all the Florentine Exiles in
his army, whom he had promifed to reinftate in their
country. The Magiftrates, therefore, in order to cjif-
trefs him, and leflen the number of their enen\ies,
granted a free pardon to all fuch as had been rebels,
and invited them to return ; excepting feme particu-
lar perfons exprefsly mentioned. Thofe that were
excluded, were moflly of tl>e Ghibeline faction, and
certain of the Bianchi ; amongft whom, were Dante
Alighieri, the Sons of Veri de Cerchi, and of Giano
della Bella. They likewife fent to follicit the affittance
of Robert, King of Naples, but not being able to
obtain it as allies, they gave him the government of
their City for five years, upon condition that he would
defend and proteA them as his fubjeds. The Em-
peror, in his paflage, arrived at Pifa, and from thence
came to Rome, where he was crowned, in the year
J312; and being determined to humble the Floren-
tines, he marched by the way of Perugia and Arezzo
to Florence, and fat down with his army at the Mo*

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naftery of St. Salvi, about a mile from the city,
where he continued fifty days without gaining any
advantage. At lad, when he found that enterprize
not likely to fucceed as he expefted, he returned tp
Pifa, and entered into k confederacy with Frederick,
King of Sicily, in order to make an attempt upon
Naples. For which purpofe, he marched that way
with bis army •, but at a time when he thought him-
felf fure of fuccefs,^ and Robert was lb frighted that
he gave up his kingdom for loft, the Emperor died
at BuonConvento.

It happened not long after, that Uguccione della
Faggiuola firft made himfclf mafter of Pifa, and thea
of Lucca, by the afliftance of the Ghibclinès ; from
whence he committed great depredations upon the
neighbouring ftates. The Florentines, therefore, to
free themfelves from the terror occafioned by his in-
curfions into their territories, invited Peter, King Ro-
bert's brother, to cóme and take upon him the com-
mand of their forces. Uguccione, on the other
hand, negledted no opportunity, in the mean time,
of adding to the power he had already acquired, and
partly by force, partly by artifice, had made himfelf
mafter of feveral caftles in the Vales of Arno and
Nievole : from whence he proceeded to lay ficgc to
Monte Catini, where the Florentines refolved to ufc
their utmoft endeavours to ftop his career, and cx-
tSnguiih a flame that othcrwife might poflSbly devour
thcur whole country. For this purpofe, having raifed
à very powerful army, they marched into the Vale
of Nievole^ where they gave battle to Uguccione,
and were utterly defeated, after a bloody engagement,
in which they loft above two thoufand men, befides
their General Peter, the King's brother, whofc body
could never be found. The viftory, however, was
not attended with any great rejoicings on the fide of
Uguccione, as one of his fons, and many other offi*
Cers of diftindion, were killed in it.

After this overthrow, the Florentines immediately
began to fortify the towns round about them, and

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,20 T H E H I; S TO R y Bì^pVIL

applied tp King Robert for another Qc,ncn\\ upon
which, he fent them the Count di Andri^, com-
monly called Count Novello, whofp l?ad conjiu^fcs
add^d to the impatient ieniper of the Flpr^ntinrs
(wliich is foon tired of any form pf government, a/vi
ready to fall into faftions upon every accident}, occa-
fiòned the city to divide again,, nptwithftapding the
war they were engaged in with tJggccionR; andforae.
declared for king Robert, and fpmQ' againft him.
'fhe chief of his^ enemies were Sindone creila Tqla,
tne Magalloti, an1i fonie other popuUr families wjio,
had the'^reateft po\yer in the government:^ Thc^c
perfons lent firft into France, and .thjq. into Ger-
rhany, to raife men and invito officers', in order tp,
rid tibemfelves of their new Governor; hw uniorw.
tbnately they could nop procure eithcu*. A^ hovy:^
«ver they, were determined to carry t)ieir ppiQt»
and as neither Germany nor Frai^Qc wpuld fupjifjr-
them with a Governor, they choff oqq from, thf *
neTghÌ30urhood ; and hayiqg i^X*?n arms and, drqyp.
tlic Count out, of tHe city, they feht for one Lapdqj
of Agobio, and, made him their Eir5;qutore, Pr, rap^»
tj^eir Executioner, with full power over all.thcjQiT,
mens. I^ando, being naturally cruql and rapacloqs,.
went about the city with a gang of armed menatl^i^
Keels, hanging up firfl one man and then another, ajj
tTiofe that had fent for him gave hini dirci^ioos, aijdj
at laft grew fo irifqlent, tjiathe coined bad rpqn^y witli,
tìic Florentine ftamp^ which no bqdv had qquragCj
cnò^gh to oppofe : tó'fuch a height of po\vcr had-^ncjj
arrived by tn^ dincnfion of th^ citizens ! Mjlerablpj
indeed, and npuch, to be lamented wa$ the Cjonditfonj
of thè city at that time, which neither the.bitte^ r^"
n'^em branche of the evil$ produced by the^r forpierdi*,
vifions, nor the dr^ad of a foreign, enemy a^ tl\?^^
gates, nor the authority of a King, wa$ fufficic;nt-tOt
keep un,ited ; though their poffe/Tions were at the laflj^
time daily ravaged and plundered, abroad b(y, IJgpc*,
eigne, and at home by Landò.

The

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Bopk II; O F F L O R5 E N C E. wi

The Nobijtfy, maft: of the confiderablc Commoners^
ami aH tb<5 Qwelph^, look the King's* fidfe^ and; hated
Landò and ct^ofe tha( fiipporced him : but as tke'w
eneoiies had the^ po^er in thein hands, they could
not declare thecp&lves publickljr without extreme
danger. However, that they might not feem want-
ing in any cndeavour/s tafree thrmfelves from fo ig»^
npntiinious. a yoke, they wrote privately to King Ro-
bert, an4 entreated him to appoint Count Guido da
^UttjifoUe his Lieutenant at Florence, which he rea*
ciily co(nplicd with,: and the other party (though
they had the Signiory on their fide) durft not venture*
tp opppfe a man of fo. eftablilhcd^a reputation. But
tji^ Count foon found he had very little authority in-
tb^ city, as the Magiftracy and the Gonfaloniers of*
the fevqral companies openly favoured Landò and his
friend?.

During thefe troubles in Florence, the daughter of-
Albert, King, of Bohemia, paflcd through that city
(to mee;t her bu(band Charles^ the fon of King Ro-
^n) where fte was received by- the King's friei>ds'
^uh- great honour.;, and, upon their complaints, of
tiie miferat^e condition of the city, and the tyrànhy*
ofLs^ndo and. his. party, (he ufcd her good offices fo*
eflfeftually, and obtained them fo many grants and»
^vovirs from the King before fhe left them, that the^.
Qki?:cn$: were at laft* reconciled and: re- united. Landò
^ej^riv^ed^ of his authority, and fcnt back again to^
jjigobbio» IJatbted with bloods and rapine^ After hii
d^a^tprc, there. cnfupd another reform in the State,
l^y, which, the government of the city was continued^
to tiK Kitig for three years longer : and as the feven*
that were then in tl^e Signiory were all of Laic's*
party, (ix others were added to them of the King'a>
and tbey continued thirteen for fqme.time; but were
aftr ward5: reduced] to fevcn again, their former num-
ker» About tbis< time, Ugucciooe wa? driven out ofi
LuQca^and Pifa, and Succeeded in the government oS-
t|K>fe. twp cities by Caftruceio Caftracani, a^ Lucchefe t"
wbO'bping a JiHritsdiyovfng man an^ fortunate ip all

his

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1^22 THE HISTORY Book IL

his irndcrtakings, very foon became the head of the
G hi teline fadion in Tufcany, The Florentines there-
fore laying afide their private difcords, were chiefly-
chiployed for fcveral years in endeavouring to ob-
ftruft tbc growth of Caftruccio's power ; and after-
wards, when they found that to no purpofe, in taking
proper meafurcs to defend themfclves againft him.
And that the Signiory might proceed with maturer
deliberation, and execute with greater authority, they
chof<? twelve Citizens whom they called Buonhuomini,
witliout whofe advice and confcnt, the Signiory were
not to pafs any act of importance,

Itì the mean time the dominion of king Robert
expired, and the government once more reverted to
the Citizens, who again fet up the lame form of ma-
giftracy that had been formerly inftitufed, and conti-
nued united whijft they were in fo much fear of Ca-
ftruccio; who, after many entcrprizes againft the Go-
vernors of Lunigiana, at lalt fat down before Prato.-
The Florentines alarmed at this news, refolved to re-
lieve it, and for that purpofe, having (hut up their
fliops, they marched towards that place with twenty
tboufand foot, and fifteen hundred horfe, but in a
tumultuous and diforderly manner. And to lefleh
the force of Caftruccio and add to their own, a Pro-
clamation was iffued by the Signiory^ that every exfle
of the Guelph party, who came in to the relief of
Prato, fliould afterwards have liberty to return home :
which had fo good an efièft, that they were joined
by above four thoufand of them, and their army be*
came fo formidable by this reinforcement that they
marched with all expedition to Prato. But Caftruccio
being afraid of fo great a force, and not caring to
run the hazard of d battle, retreated to Lucca.

Upon this retreat, there arofe great difputcs in the
camp of the Florentines, betwixt the Nobility and the
people. The people would have purfued him and
forced him to an engagement, in hopes that a viftory
would have totally ruined him : but the Nobility
thought it more prudent to return 5 alledging, they

had

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Book II. OF FLORENCE. 123

had already fufficientjy cxpofcd their own city for the
relief of Prato, which in fuch a cafe of neceffity was
unavoidable : but, now there was no manner of occa*
iion, little to be gained, and much to be loft, it
would be madnefs to tempt fortune. After long dc-

-, bates, without coming to any refolution, the matter
/was referred to the Signiory, which, confifting erf

, Commoners as well as Nobility, fell into the fame dif-
ference of opinions : and this coming to be known in
the city, a vaft number of the people aifembled in
the Piazza, and threatened the Nobility to fuch a de*
gree that they were terrified and gave way to thertf.
But as it was fo late before they came to fuch a refo-
lution, and even then againft the inclination of many»
the enemy had fufficient time to retire in fafety to
Lucca : at which the people were fo exafperated
againft the Nobility, that the Signiory refufcd to pcr^
form the promife they had made, by their delire, to
the exiles that came in upon the proclamation. The
exiles bearing of this, rcfolved on their part to force
their way into the city if poflSble, and accordingly
prefented themfclveè at the gates, to be admitted be^
fore the reft of the army came up : but this attempt
being forcfeen and cxpcftcd, did not fucceed, for they
were driven back again by thofe that wet-e left in the
town. They endeavoured therefore to obtain by
treaty what they could not by force, and fent eight
deputies to remind the Signiory of their promife, and
the dangers they had cxpofed themfelves to in con-
fequence of it, and that they relied upon their good
faith for the ftipulated recompence of their fervicei.
The Nobility, therefore, having joined in that pro»
mife with the Signiory, and given their word that
they would fee it performed, thought themfelves ob-
liged in honour to ufe all their intcreft in favour of
the exiles, which they did : but the Commons being
enraged that the enterprize againft Caftruccio had QOt
been profecuted as they thought it ought to have
been, would not concur with them ; which afterwards
i>rought not only great difgrace, but alfo much trou-
ble

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j.24i THE H I S T Q R Y Book; IL

We upon the city. For many of the Nobility being
ciifgufted at this denial, refolved to have recourfe to;
orficr expcdA-tits, and promifed the Guclph.s that if
they »ouid appear in arm$ bjefore the city,, they wooM
alfo) raifo an inCurreftion within it to affili cheiw. Boc
this defign being difcovercd the day bcfbre it was: to
have been piic ia executbn, when the exiles came up-*
they foand the Citizens ready armed, and in foch 0/*
d«r, not only to rqjcl them, but to fopprcfs any mf*
ing within the waik, that no body durft offer ta move :
fe that' they, gave up the enterprize and drew off agami
wtìjbout makiog any further effort at that time. Af-
t«r thetpdepaffiiueev it was. thought fie that thofe peri«
^)fmAicmldi\ be puniftied who had invited them thi»
ther : n«veiìtheiefs,. though ewry one kliew who> the*
driinqtìiBBtS' were,, yet no body durft fo much as poind
them out, much leifs accufe them. But that the truth»
imght be told without rcferve, it was ordered; thaC
jwy members of the general council fliould be allowed
toiwrioc'down their names upon a piece of paper and»
deliver it privatdy to the Captain of the pecyple: whichf
being done, the ptsrfons accufed were, Amerigo Do-
nati, Tegghiaio Frefcobaidi, and Lotteringo. Gherarw
ém'u whole judges being more favourable than per-
haps their crimes delferved, they were only fined' af
^rtain fupi of mt>ney and difcharged.

From the tumults which- happened in Fhatrence up-
cm the approach of the exiles, it plainly appeared,
that one Captain only in every Company of the peo-
ple was. not ftifiicient : it v'as ordered therefore, thaV
each Company for the future fhould have three or
foOT, and tbati every GonfaJonier fhould have two or
three other Enfigns unàenhim called Pen nonn ieri, that (o
upon any. emergency, when the whale Company could
n©t be drawn out; fomcparoof it might be employed
lender one of thofe officers. And as it generally hap-
pcfisiiniall commonwealths, that after any revolution*
OP remarkable crifis^ fome or other of the old lawsf
are abrogated and new ones made in their room ; fo
though the: Signiory at firft was, changed every two>

. months.

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byC^oogle

Book IL OF FLORENCE. nj

monchs, yet tbe magiftrates that wene then in office^
having great power, took upon themfèlves to conftU
tute a Signory out of ^U the moftconfidcmbte Ciriaehs;
to continue forty nwnths, whofc names were to be
put into a Bag or Purfe, and a certain number o^
them drawn out by lot at the end* of every feóond
month. This method of eleftion at firft was called
Imborfatione and afterwards Squittino. But> as many
of the citizens began to fufpeft theif names were not
rn the Purfe, there was a fre(h Imborfation before the
forty months expired. From henfie arofe the ufe of
tbe Purfe in creating all their Magiftrates both at hùthé
and abroad, whicn continued for a confiderable tittiti
whereas before, when the old Magiftrates went out of
office, new ones were always chctfen by the couftcih
And as this was not to be renewed till after a term of
above three years, it was thought rfiey had in a great
ftvafure extinguiihed the caufes of all fuch difgufti
and tumults as ufrd to happen from the frequent re*
turn of Ete&bns and the number of Competitors fo^
the Magiftracy : fuch was tbe remedy which for wartf
e£ a bctcer, they were forced to provide againft thoJé
evils, not being aware how little advantage and hov/
many nFiifchfcfs were likely co flow from it.

In the year 13^5, Caftruccio having feized uport
Piftoia, was become fo fomnidaWe, that the Ftoren*
tines beginning taftand in great awe of him, refolved
to attack him before he had eftaWiftied hiri^l'clf irt
his new dooiinion, and if poffible, to wreft it out of
his hands agkn. In confcquence of whrch, they af-
fcmhlcd twenty thoufaiid foot and three thoufand
borfe (moftof whom were Floreminies and the reft
allies) and encamped before Alto Pafcio ; by the re*
du&ion> of which, they hoped to prevent any relief
frona being thrown into Piftoia. In this enterprtóe
they fucceericd, sndi from thence adv^anced towards
Lucca,, fpoiling and ravaging the whole country:
but by the ill conduct ainé treachery of Ramon^do da
Cardona,. tbetr comrtunder in chief, they* rkaped but
kttlc advantage from thia progreis* For as he faw

the

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116 THE HISTORY Book llJ

the Florentines had been (o liberal in difpofing of
themfelves, that they had fometimes conferred their
government upon Kings, fometimes upon Legates,
and fometimes upon perfons of much inferior quality,
he thought if he could reduce them to any extre-
mity, they perhaps would make him their Prince*
For this purpofe, he was very importunate with thecn
to give him the fame command in the city that he had
over their army ; as he pretended he could not other-
wife either require or expeót that neceffary obedience
which was due to a General. But finding the Flo-
rentines did not care to comply with this demand,
he trifled away his time in doing nothing, whilft Ca-
firuccio omitted no opportunity of taking the advan-
tage that his indolence afforded him. For the latter
having reinforced himfelf with fupplies from the Vif-
conti and other Princes of Lombardy, Ramondo,
who before might have gained a vidory, if he had
not betrayed his mafters, now behaved in fo un-
foldier like a manner that he could not even make his
efcape from the enemy ; but whilfl he was retreating
from them by very fhort and flow marches, he was
overtaken and attacked by Caflruccio near Alto
Pafcio, where, after an obflinate engagement, in
which his forces were utterly routed, and great num-
bers of the Citizens either killed or taken prifoners,
he himfelf alfo lofi his life, receiving that punifh-
ment from the hands of fortune, which his perfidy
and ambition had merited from the Florentines.

The havock which Caflruccio made in the territo-
ries of Florence after this viftory, the depredations,
imprifonments, burnings, and every other kind of
devaflaiion, are not to be defcribed : for as he had
nobody to make head againfl him for feveral months,
he over-ran the whole country, and did what he
pléafed, whtlft the Florentines thought it no fmali
matter to fave their city after fuch a defeat. Ne-
verthelefs, they were not reduced to fo low an ebb,
but they raifed large fums of nioney, . affembled
forces, and fent to their allies for affiflance : but no

pro-
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Book n. O F F L O R E N C E. 127

provifions were fufficient to flop the progrefs of fuch
an enemy. They were forced therefore, ;o make an
offer of their government to Charles Duke of Cala*
bria and ibn to King Robert, upon condition that he
would undertake to defend them ; for as that family
had been ufcd to rule over them, ihey chofe gather to
ihelter themfclves under him as their Prince, than
to truft to him as an ally. But Charles himfelf being
engaged in the wars of Sicily, fcnt Gualticr (a French-
, man, and Duke of Athens) as his Lieutenant, to
take poflcflion of the government, who new modelled
the Magiftracy as he thought fit. His behaviour^
however, was fo modeft and temperate, and fo con-
trary to his true natural difpofition, (as (ball be (hewn
hereafter) that he gained the affcftions of every one.

After the wars in Sicily were over, Charles came
in perfon to Florence, with a thoufand horfe, and
made his entry in July 1326. His arrival gave fomc
check to Caftruccio, and prevented him from roving
about the country and plundering it without controul»
as he had done before. But, if the citizens faved
any thing abroad, it was loft again at hpme ; and
.when their enemies were thus curbed, they became a
.prey to the infolcnce and qppreffion of their friends :
for as the Signiory were entirely under the influence
of the Duke, he ^xaftcd four hundred thoufand flo-
rins from the city in the fpace of one year, though it
was exprefsly ftipulated in the agreement made with
him, that he Ihould not raife above two hundred
thoufand in the whole : befides which, either Charles,
or his Father, were continually laying fome heavy tax
or other upon the Citizens.

Thefe miferies were ftill increafed by new jealoulies
and frefh enemies. For the Ghibelincs of Lombardy
were fo alarmed at the arrival of Charles in Tufcaoy,
that Galeazzo Vifconti, and other Princes of that pro-
vince, by dint of money and fair promifes, prevailed up-
on Lewis of Bavaria, (who ha^ been elected Emperor,
contrary to the Pope's inclination) to march into Italy
with an army,' In confequence of which, he came
/ ^ , into

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V4« T tì È HISTORY Book A

into tiombandy, ^hfl froih thence advancing intè
Toifeany, hiadc hittìfclf ftia:fter of Prft, by the aflifl>
ance of Càiftruedò ; hnd having rccieiived a confiderà
able fttpj)ly of tttohty, he marched on to\V^àikfe Rcfnib.
ll'p/on which, Charles feè^an to thirik the kingdofh
bf Napies in ^ò finali danger ; and leaving PhHippyò
Saginetto his Lictrtenant at Florence, he i"e.tqtnéd thi-
Iherin aft •haftfe'vWth 'the forces that he had brou^
along with him- After his departufe, Caftrcrccid
ftizcd trpon Pifa, and thè Florèntmes having got pof»»
leffioh of Piftoria by treaty, he tnàrched irnmediatd^
CO recover it, andcarried bft'thè fiege with fo' much
vigour and refólùtion, t?iat though the Florèntihci
inade many att^empts to rélteVè 'ft, fom^etinics by at^
taCkln^his ai-my, fometime^ by making incvirfloni
into his oibtr territories, yet, all thefir endeavours
Were inèflFcÀual : forfo firmly determined was lit to
fehaftife Piftora, and keep the Florentines ubder, that
the Piftoians were forced to furrender and receive hi ni
once more for their Lord ; by which he acquired great
i-eputation ; but fóon after fdl fkk and died in thè
hiidft of his vidories, as he was returning to Lucca.
And as it generally happens, that either fortunate òt
tinfortunate accidents arc attended by others of thè
fame kind, Charles, Duke of Calabria, and Lord oF
Florence, died at Naples much about the fame tinte.
So that the Florentines were fuddenly and unèjtpefl:^
fcdly delivered frorii the t^ppreflion of one, and th6
tìread of thè other ; and having once more recoverexi
their liberty, began to reform thè commonwealth
again, abrogating the .Laws and Ordinances of ail
former councils, and creating two new onéS in thèi^
roottì, one of which cohfiftSà of three hunditd of
the Commons, thè oth'er of two hundred and fifty^
of both Commoners and Nobility ; the fortncr wa^
railed the Coundl cf the Peùfk^ the latter, fbe Gvmmòh
Council,

The Emperor, upon his arrival lat kortit, fet li^

an Antipopc, did many things to the prejudice Wf thè

Chuf eh, a'nd attempted fcveral others, which he wa4

1 "^^ not

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loòkil. €) F FiL Oft E K CE. y^

ìiet able to cffea*^ : upon which, he left Rome with
'fao little dilltonouf, and went to FifaV where eight
hundred German -horfe^ either for 'want of pay, òr
becaufe they were diffamficd with' his conduft, imme-
diately rifiutinied and fortified' themftlves at Monte-
chiaro upoti the CfcHigUa. Thèfe forces; after he wÀ
-gOnfc from Pifa, towards Lombardy; made thertifelyej
■niaftersof Ludca, and drove out Francifco Càftri-
fcànif, whom the Emperor had depiked to govern it'^
*and being defirous to make the beft of it, they of-
fered it to the Florentines for twenty thoufand florins,
-^liic^h they refufed to give, by the advice of Simone
della Tofa. Happy Had it been for their city, if the
Florentines had perfevered in that refolution : but as
they foon after changed their mind, it was of very
great prejudice to them } for though they refufed it
when they might have had the peaceable -poflcffion of
•it at fo cheap a fate, they were afterwards oblijged' to
pay a much larger Turn for it, and 'could not Keep it
^hen they had done ; which gave oecafiori to it)any
fubfcquent diftiJrbances axid changes of government
in Florence; - ^

The purchafe of Lucca being thus rejeftcd by the
^Florentines, it was bought by Gherardino Spinoli, a

•

* The Pope had excommunicated him in issS, and declared him
,to have forfeited the empire Lewis, on the other hand, employe^
(cveral pens to write againft the Pope, whom he (tiled James of Ca^
hors. And not contenting him felt with this, he entered Itiy the
next year, and fet up a certain Francifcaii, called Pietro Ramucdò
^de Corberia, as Antipope, by the name of Nicholas V. who crowned
X^wis, and declared John XXII. an Heretic^ and that he had for-
feited the Papacy. This violent manner of proceeding offended tbfi
.Emperor's friends to fuch a degree, that they deJerted him $ (bthat
^he afterwards defired to be reconciled to Benedir XII. in 1336, an^
i[to Clement VL in 1344. But being unwilling to fubmit to the con-
editions that were offered him, viz. That he fliould furrender the em-
'pire and all his eftates to the Church, ^nd hold them only. at the
good will of the Pope, he was declared ** obflinate and contuma-
cious/* And at the foUicitation of Clement VI. and Philip of. Va-
lois, King. of France, (whom Lewis had provoked, by fid ing with
Edward III. King of England againft him) the Electors chofe in hi»
'Toom, Charles of Luxembourg, who wa» the fourth Emperor of that
'xi:ime. This was in 1346., X«ewis died the next year of poifon, or
as others fay, by a fall from his horfe> at thie age of^i)xty<tbree. Bzov.
'Annal. '

Vot. I. K Gc.

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\4^ THE HISTORY Book H.

Genoeie» for thirty thoufand Flortns. But as it Is
tthe nature of mankind to be cool and indifFerent about
iiich things as are profl^red theoFi, and eager in their
defires to obtain what is difiicult^ or out of their
reach ; (b when the Florentines heard that city was
ibid for fuch a trifle, they were exceedingly diflatisfied
.that they had it not thcmfelves, and angry ai tMfe
^ho had difluaded them from buying it : however,
M it was now too late, they reiblved to take k bf
Sorcc i and for that purpofe, fent their army to «nake
an incurfion into the territories of the Lucchefc. In
the mean cune« the Emperor had quitted Italy -, and
the Antipope, by order of the Pilans, was fent pri-
ioner into France.

After the death of Cadruccio, which happened in
the year i32g, the Florentines continued quiet at
iiome, till 1340, and intent only upon their affairs
^abroad : during which tinie, they were engaged in
leverai wars, efpecially in Lombardy, upon the com-
ing of Jo^n, King of Bohemia ^, into that province 5
^d in Tuicany, on the account of Lucca« They
likewife raifed feveral new and beautiful edifices in
.their city, particularly the Tower of St. ^eparata^
after a plan given them by Giotto +, the moft cele-

, • He was a Prince of great courage, and diftinguiibedhimielf as

Tuch in thefe wars, before which he had taken upon himfelf the title

of King of Poland, and waged war againft the poffefTor of the crowa

there. He loft one of his eyes in battle, and going to Mont-

'* he coold fii^d any relief from the phyficians there, a

, whom he employed, treated him in fo un(kilful a

le depritediiim ot the other. Upon this occafion, tb«

[, as It is reported, fent him word, that he defired they

: decide their quarrels in a private room» with each a

1 hand. But King John returned for a»iWer« <* that

r jll out both his eyes to make the duef éqUal^" Hit

blindnefs did, not prevent him from goiner to war iVr ^Hbn. He
went into France with fuccours to the aid of Philip of Vaiois» and was
not only prefent, but fought bravely at the battle of Crefly, whicb
the French loft, Auguft t6, 1 346. He caufed his horfe to be faftened
by the bridle to one of the beft horiemen he had» and then rufhed
furiouily into the thick of the enemy, fword in hand, where he was
«t laft killed, as might be well expe^ed. Charles IV. his fon. King
of Bohemia and Emperor, ei ves a fuller account of all thefe things in
the Memoirs of his fatherVLife.

"t This Oiotto was fcholar to Ciambue, and bom near Plorenco^
In the year la?^* He was a good Sculptor and Architect» as well n%

» bet.

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*òokfI. O F F L O R E N C E. f^i

braired painter a'nà àrchitcft of thofe 'fimcs :. and ìtx
the ycàr 1333, after aa inundation of the Arno, in
iwrhich the water rofe twelve yards perpendicular m'
fomc parti óf Florence, carried away fevcral brido;6's,
and demólìftied óiàny houfes, they repaired all wita
great diligence and expence. But in tlie year 1340,
new diHurbances arofe.

Tlic governors of the City had two ways of main-
taining and incrcafing their authority. One was, by
managing the Imborfations in foch a manner, as al*
ways to fecurc the Signiory either to themfelves or
their creatures} the other, 1>y getting Rettori, or
Judges chofen, who they knew would be favourable
to them in their fentences and determinations. The
latter of which expedients, they thought of fuch io)-
portance, that, not concent with two Jfudges, as, they
had been formerly, they fometimes conftituted a third,
whom they called Captain of the Guards ; with which
office, they had now vefted Jacomo Gabrieli d'Agob-
bio, and given him an abfolute power over the Ci-
tizens. This Jacomo, under the direftion of the go-
vernors, behaved with the mod fhamelefs infolence
and partiality, daily injuring or affronting fome body
or other, particularly Pietro de Bardi, and Bardo Fréf-
cóbaldi ; who being nobly born, and picn of high
ipirit, were provoked to fuch a degree, that a (Iran-
ger fhould be introduced ipto the city by a few of
their fellow-citizens that had the power in thejir
hands, on purpofe to infult and abule all the reft,
that they entered into a confpiracy with many other
noble families, and fome of the Commoners, that
were difgufted at fo tyrannical a government, to re*
vengc themfelves, both upon him and thofe that had

a better Painter, than his Matter: for he began to (bake off theftiff-
jieft of the Greek manner, endeavouring to give a freer air to Jiis
Heads, with more of nature in hi» colouring, and eafier attitudes to
hw figures. His beft piece is ftill in one of the Churches at Florence,
Tcprefenting the Death of the Virgin Mary, with the Apoftlcs round
about her. The attitudes of whiph Story, Michael Angelo u fed to
lay, could not be bettqr defigned. See Frefnoy'» ^!^ pf Paintiag,

K 2 jbeeu

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132 THEHISTORY Book fif .

been the dccafion of bis coming thithen For this
piirpofe» it was agreed amongit the confpirators, that
every one of them (hould get together as many armed
men as he could in his houfe } and that on the morn-
' ing after the Feltival of All Saints, when the people
were gone to Church to pray for the fouls of their

* departed friends f , they fhould take up arms, kill
the Captain and principal Governors, and make new

;laws and magiftrates to reform the State. But as it
generally happens, that when defperate refolutions

, coriie to be maturely confidered, many dangers and
impediments occur, which damp the ardour of the
Confpirators ; fo plots that are not fpeedily executed,
are for the moft part unfuccefsful, as this was. For
Andrea de Bardi, one of the accomplices, weighing
the matter coolly, and being more cffeólually moved
by the terror of punifliment than the defirc of re-
venge, difcovcred the whole to his kinfman Jacomo
Alberti, who immediately communicated it to the
Magiftracy. And as the day appointed for their
rifirig was very near at hand, many of the Citizens
aflfembled in the Palace -, and judging it dangerous
to wait any longer, they advifed the Signiory to have
the Alarm-Bell rung, and the Companies called to-
gether. Taldo Valori was chief Gonfalonier at that
time, and Francifco Salviati one of the Signiory :
and as they were allied to the Bardi, they oppofed
that meafure, and fàid it would be a dangerous
thing to arm the people upon every trifling acci-
dent, bccaufe it was never Known that power given
io the multitude, without fufficient authority to rc-
ftrain them, had produced any good cffcft ; and that
it was a much eafier matter to raife a tumult than to
compofe one : they thought it would be more pru-
dent, therefore, to enquire into the truth of the
matter, and if they found fufficient reafon, to puni(h

t This event tberefore happened on the id of November, 1340,
«whieh is commonly called AU Souls Day, as the Romidi Church fctf

* 5t apart in ^ùmmtmorationem omnium fufeltum defun^iUrum^ of, *• Prayers
Ibr all thofe that have departed this life in the truefaith.^

the

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Book IL OF F L O R E N C E. 133^

the offenders by due courfe of law, than to run tu-
mulcuoufly into arms, only upon a bare report, and
proceed in fuch a manner, as perhaps might be the
utter ruin of their city. But thefe arguments were
all to no purpofe : for the Signiory were fo threats
ened and infulted by the other Citizens, that they
were forced tocaufe the Bell to be rung ; at the found
of which, all the people took arms and ran diredly
to the Piazza before the Palace. On thè other hand»
the Bardi and Frefcobaldi, perceiving they were be-
trayed, and being refolved either to conquer or die
honourably, likewift took arms, in hopes that they
(hould be able to defend themfelves in that part of
the City, which lies on the other fide of the River,
where moft of their houfes ftood. For which pur-
pole, they fortified the Bridges over it, and there
made head againft the enemy, in expedation that
many of the Nobility and others of their friends
would come out of the Country to their affiftance.
But this was prevented, by the people that lived in
the fame part of the city with them, who took up
arms for the Signiory : fo that when they found they
were likely to be attacked by them alfo, they aban-
doned the Bridges, and retired into the ftrect where
the Bardi lived, as ftronger than any of the reft, and
there made a brave defence.

• In the mean time, Jacomo d*Agobbio, well know*
ing this Cònfjpìracy was chiefly bent againft him,
thought his life in great danger, and was frighted to
fuch a degree, that he ran trembling to fecure him*
felf in the midft of the armed men who were af-
fcmbled before the Palace of the Signiory: but the
other Judges who had not been guilty of the fame
injuftice and opprefljon, were more courageous,
efpecially Maffeo da Maradi, the Po'deftà, who ran to
the place where they were fighting, and paffing the
Bridge Rubaconte, undauntedly threw himfelf into
the tnickeft of the (kirmilb, and made a fign for a
Parley. Upon which, out of reverence to his Perfon^
his courage, and many other good qualities, they laid

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f 34 T H E H I S T O R y Book IL^

down their artps» an4 ftood patiently to hear him»
xi^hiltf in à niodeft and pathetic harangue, he blamed
the Bardi for their manner of proceeding, (hewtd
them the danger they were in from the fury of the
people if they did not defili, gave them hopes thap
their caufe (hould be favourably hca^d, and promifed
that hehimfelf would not only intercede for their
pkf^on, but fee that they Ihould have all reafonablc
fitisfaótion and redrefs for their grievances: after
whipH he went to the Signiory and exhorted them
riot to attempt a Viftory, in which fo many of their
fcllow-cuiaens muft inevitably perifh, nor to pafsany
fentence upon them unheard. In fhort, his medi-
ation had fuch an cfFeft, that the Bardi and FrefcOf-
many of their friends, being allowed by
to leave the city, retired to their caftles.
itry without any impediment or molef-

r were gone and the people difarmed, the
iceeded againft fuch only of the Families
i and Frelcobaldi as had aflually been in
to leflcn their power, they bought the
^angona and Vernia of the Bardi, and
that no Citizen for the future (hould pof*
:le v^ithin twe'nty miles of Florence. Not
IS after, Stiatta Frefcobaid; was beheaded.
Others of that family proclaimed Kebels.
c did not fufficicntly fatiate the revenge
the adminiftration, to have conquered and
hofe families : but, like almoft all other
infoiente commonly increafes with their
r grew more imperious and arbitrary as
ronger: for though they had only one
thp Quards to tyrannize over the city be^
fiow' appointed another, to refide in the
id vcfted him with very great authority : fo
p who was in the lealt obno^iou; to the
, could nop live quietly either within the
out it; The Nobility in particular were
I and infulted by them in fuch a manner^
. , that

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l^kn. OF F^LORENCE. x^g

tfiat th€y only waited for an opportunity to revenge
themfehres at any rate : and as one foon after hap*»
pened, they did not fail to take the advantage of it.

During the many troubles that had happened in
Tuftany and Lombardy, the city of Lucca was fallen
under the Dominion of Maftino ddl Scala Lord of
Verona, who, though he was under an engagemenr
to give it up' to the Florentines, did not think fit ta
perform it : for as he was alfo Lord of Parma, and^
imagined he was ftrong enough to maintain hiitifelf in
pofTeflion, he made little account of that promifew
The Florentines, to revenge this breach of faith,,
joined the Venetians, and made fo vigorous a war up*-
on him, that he was in great- danger of lofing* all his
territories : but they got little by it in the end, ex*
cept the fatisfadion of having diftreflcd their enemy.
For the Venetians, according to the cuftom of all
States that enter into any league or alliance with
others, that are weaker than themfelves, having
feized upon Trevigi and Vicenza, made a feparate
peace, without any regard to the intereft of their Con*
ftdiiràteà. Soon after, the Vifconti, Lords of Milàn^
took ÌParma from Maftino, who finding himfelf no
longer able to keep Lucca after fuch a diminution
of his ftrength, rcfolved to fell it. The Florentines
and Pifans were competitors in the purchafe ; but
whilft they were bartering for it; the Pifans feeing
they fiiould be out-bid, as they were not fo rich as
the others, had recourfe to arms, and, joining with
the Vifconti, laid fiegc to the town. The Florentines,
however, were not at all difcouraged at this, but pro-
ceeded in their bargain, and having agreed upon the
price, paid down part of the money to Maftino, and
gave him Hoftagcs for the reft : in confequencc of
whichi Niiddo Ruccllai, Giovanni Bernardino de Me-
dicii and Rofio the fon of Ricciardo de Ricci, were
fent to take poffeffion ; who forcing their way into
the town through the Pifan Camp, were received by
Miaftino, and had it delivered into their hands. The
Pi&ns, nevcrthdefe, continued the fiege, and endca*

K 4 voured

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Vouficd by. all poflible m^ans to nuke thcmfclves mali»
tcrs of the place : and the Florentines, on the .other
hand, were no lefs follicitous to relieve it : but after
a long ftruggle they were at laift driven out of it, with
xpuch diflionour and the. lofs of all their purehafe-f
iponey. - This difaftcr (as it ufually happens in ^\iq
like cafes) threw the people of Florence into fuch a
i;age againft their Governors, that they pqblickly ii^-
fplted and upbraided them with their ill qondo^ aa4
od min titration, in all places and upon every opporr
tunitjr.

la the beginning of the war, the management of it
had been comntiitted to twenty Citizens, who ap-
pointed Malatefta da Rimini Commander in Chief
of their forces in that Expedition : but as he executed
that icharge with little courage and lefs difcretion, they
è>llicited Robert, King of Naples, for fupplics ; which
|ie accordingly fent them under the command of Guai-
tier, Duke of Athens, who, as the evil deftiny of the
tity would have it, arrived there juft at the time when
the eriterprize againft Lucca had mifcarricd. Upon
his coming, the twenty fuperintendants of the war,
feeing the people enraged to the* higheft degree,
thought either to footh them with frefli hopes, and
take away all further occafion of obloquy, or to
bridle them effedually by chufing a new General:
iind as they were ftill in great fear of the multitude,
they firft made the Duke of Athens Con ferva tor of
jthe Peace, and then their Commander in Chief, that
he might have both authority and power fufficient to
defend them. But as many gf the Nobility had been
formerly acquainted with Gualtier (when be was Go-
vernor of Florence, for Ch^rjes, Duke of Calabria)
dnd were ftill highly difcontented for the rcafons
?boye*mcntipned, they refolvcd, now they had fo
fair an opportunity, to take their revenge, even
ihoqgh it (hould occafion the deftruf^ipn of the city \
imagining there was no other way left to get the
JDettér of |tbe people, who had fo long domineered
py^r theirt, ]?\\t %q reduce fheip into fubjeftion to f .

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Bookllr Ò 1^ F L O R E N C E. i^f

Prince» who being well acquainted with the worth
and generoiity of the Nobility and the infolence of the
Commons, might treat both parties according to
their defcrts : bcfides which confidcrations, they pre-
fumed he would (hew them no little favour, if he
.fliould obtain the fupreme Government of the city,
chiefly by their afliftance and co*operacion. To fa*
cilitate thefe defigns, they had many private meetings,
at which they earneftly perfuaded him to take the
government wholly into his hands» and promifed
to fupport him with all their intereft and power.
Several of the mod conliderable Commoners likewiie
joined them, particularly the families of the Peruzzi,
Acciaiuoli, Antellefiy and Buonaccorfi, whohadcon-^
traded great debts, and not being able to pay them
out of their own cftates, were defirous of getting
thofe of other people into their hands ; and to free
themfelves from the importunity of their Creditors,
livere ready to enflave their Country. Such encou«*
ragement and fo fair an opportunity, inflamed the
Duke, who was naturally ambitious, with a ftill
greater thirft of power : and to ingratiate himfelf with
the lower fort of the people by afting like a jufl: and
upright Magiftrate, he ordered aprocefsto be com-
menced againfl: thofe that had been entrufted with
the management of the late war againft the Lucchefe:
in confequehce of which, Giovanni de Medici, Naddo
Kucellaig and Guglielmo Altoviti were put to death,
and feveral others baniihed, and many obliged to pay
large fumsof money for their pardon. This feverc
manner of proceeding alarmed the middle fort of
Citizens, though it was very grateful to the Nol^lity
and common people, as the latter generally take
pleafure in executions, apd the former were not a
little rejoiced at the fall of thofe by whom they had
been fo gricvoufly oppreflcd. So that whenever the
Duke puffed through the ftrcets, they refoundcd. with
acclamations and praifcs of his juftice and refoludon»
Whilft pvery one exhorted him toperfevere in his en-
deavours

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i# T UE niBT O ttT Bc)bl6 If.

deavours^to detefbtheguilty and bring them tocehdign^
punifhment.

Upon this change, tht^^uthortty of the Twenty be*
gan to decline, and the awe and reputation of the
!!&uk« to inct-eafo fo fàft, that every Citizen, to (hew*
himfclf well aflPefted to him, had the Neapolitan
arms painted over his door^ nor was any thing
wanting but the mere title, to make him a Prince.
And being now ftrong enough, as he imagined, ta
' attempt any thing with fecurity, he gave the Signiory
to underftandi *• That he thought it neccflary for the
good of the city, that the fupreme power (hould be
vetted in him ; and therefore, as it was a thing agree-
able to all the reft of the Citizens, he required them
w refign their authorky/*

The Signiory, notwithftanding they had long fóre-
feen the ruin of their city, were not a little embar-
faffi^ at this demand ; and though they were fenfibte
of the danger they were in, yet that they might not
fcem wanting in any aft of duty to their country, they
boldly refufed to comply with it- Upon which, the
^©uke, (who out of an afFedation of Religion and
Humility, had taken up his quarters at the ntona*
fiery of Santa Croce) in order to give the fimfliing
ilroke to^ his wicked defigns, immediately iflbed out
a Proclamation, wherein he commanded all the peo-
j>le to appear before him the next morriing in the
piazza belonging to that Convent. At this proda*
matton, the Signiory were ftill more alarnied than
they had been at his firft meflage •, and having called
together fuch of the Citizens as they thought moft
xealeùs for the liberty of their country, it was re-
ftilved, ftice the power of the Duke was fogreatj
and there was no other remedy left, to apply to him
in an humble and fupplicatory manner; and try whe*
thtr they could prevail upon him by entreaties, now
force was inibfiicient, to defift from this attempt;
4>ri{ that cowld not be effcfted, at leaft to goverti
tfaem with^ more^geittlenefs^ andmoderattòn* For thfe
pisrpofei they disputed fome of their Members to

"wait

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Book 14 O F F L O R E N C E. 139

<vai£ upm hitn ; cue o£ whom addreflbd him in the
^sM^wiog. manner :

*^ My Lord,

^ Wt arc come hither to expreis our fiarpriie» in
!th^ firA place, at your Demand, and in the next, at
yoMF^ Proclamation to aflemble the people; pre-
iliof ipg it is your intention to extort that from us by
violence, which, upon private application, we could
not in duty comply with» It i$ notour defign to op«
pole force by force, but rather to reprefent to you
the heav4nefs of that burden which you are fo defirous
to take upon your Qwa flipuld^rs, and the dangers
that ar^ likely to attend it i that fa. you may hereafter
«mem ber > and diftinguifli betwixt our advice and
that, which is given you by othees, not out of any re-
gard to your perfon or intereft, but to fatiate their
own revenge and ambition^ You are endeavouring
to enQave our city, which ha$ ever beeti free j. for the
government of it, which formerly has fometimes been
conferred on the Kings of Naples, or (bme other of
t^ir Houf^, was rather in confequence of an al--
Ijwce or aflTociation, than of a forced fubjedion»
Jjfeve you confidered how dear and important the love
of; Liberty rnuft be to fuch a Commonwealth as ours?.
£^ principle that: no force can ever fubdue» no length
pf tifne can ever wear away, nor any other confiderà
arion oveprbalance. RecoUeél, Sir, I befeech you^
bow great a force will be neceScy to keep fo pow*
i^ful a city in fubjeftion. All the fJtjreign Merce-
naries you c^n hire wHl not be fufficiont, and the
Citizens you cannot confide in : for thofe who ac
prefcm feem to be your friends,^ and at- whofe infti-
g^ition you have taken this rcfolutiun, will be the firfc
to confpire your ruin, in order ^o ufiirp the govern*
roeot thcmfelv^es, when they have, wreaked their ma»
iWe upon t^eir 'fellow-citizens, by your means and af*^
fiftance. The populace, which you: chiefly truft to,
will turn againft you upon any litde difguft; fo thae
i^ a (hpi^f ti«)e, you may expert to fee the whole citf
6 in

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f4* T H E' HISTORY Book a

in arms, which will infallibly prove the ddlruftiort
both of you and itfelf : for thofc Princes only can be
fecure in their government, who have but few ene-
mies, and fuch as arc eafy to be taken off either by
baniftiment òr death : but againft a univerfal difaf-
fcdion, there can be no fecurity, as it will be im-
poffible to guefs with any certainty, from what hand
the ftroke may come ; and whofoever he is, that has
reafon to fear every man, cannot befafe againft
any one. For if he cuts off fome, he is fure to cx-
pofe himfelf to ftili greater dangers, by enflaming
the hatred of thofe that are left, and making them
more implacable and ripò for rfevcngc. That time
is not able to eradicate the tove of Liberty, is fuffi-
ciently evident ; fince' it has often happened in States
where the citizens themfelves were not free, that
many have exerted their moft ftfenuous endeavours
tQ be fo, merely upon the report of the bleffings of
Liberty, which they have received from their fa-
thers -, and when they fucceedcd, and tafted the
fweets of freedom, have defpifed all difficulties and
dangers to maintain it. And indeed, if they had
never heard of any fucli thing from their anceftors,
the daily fight of the public palaces, the courts of
jufticc, the colours of their militia, and other monu*
merits of former Liberty, would naturally have in-
fpired them with a love of it. What exploits or de-
gree of merit, thwefore, on your fide, though ever
io confiderable and endearing, can poffibly be a fuf-
ficient recompencc for tìie lofs of our Liberty, or
what do you think can ever make us forget the hap-
pincfs we once enjoyed ? If you was to add all Tuf-
cany to this State, and return to the city daily
crowned with frefh vidories over our enemies, the
Honour would be yours and not ours, and the citi-
zens would gain fellow-flaves rather than fubjefts,'
which would only ferve to aggravate their mifery.
4.nd though you fliould be religious, or affable, of
juft, or bountiful to the laft degree, believe me, all
would not be fufficient to gain the aff^ftions of the

peo-

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Book ir: O E F L O R E N e |;. ^141

people ; if you think otherwife, . you only deceit^e
yourfelf 5 for to men that have once live<} fjfe^ tkc
lighteft chain will feem heavy, and the leaft reftraiat
intolerable. In a State, which has been reduced to
fubjeókion hy force, it is not poffible that the citi-
zens fhould live contentedly, even under a good
prince 5 and it muft neceflarily happen, if he ^lo^s
not conforni himfclf to their defires, that cither one
party or the other will foon be ruined. We leave
you to judge, therefore, whether it will be better
for you to endeavour to ufurp an abfolute dominion
oyer this city, and to hold it by downright force of
arms, (for which the pofleffion of all the forts and
guards within, and all the friends that could be raifed
abroad, have often been found infuifficientj or to be
content with the authority and power we have already
given you. We would recommend the latter of thefc
two mcafures to you, becaufc that Dominion only
can be of long continuance, which is vduntarily coa-
ferrcd ; and adyife you not to fufFcr yourfelf to be
blindly led by ambition, to the brink of a prccipi^»
where you can neither retreat nor advance, and from
whence you will inevitably be thrown down and pv«jr-
whclmed in the ruins of the Commonwealth." -

Thefc expoftulations made but little impreflion up-
on the Duke, who faid, ** That it was fo far from
' being his defign to take away their liberty, that he
came thither on purpofe to reftore it : that Citizen
divided amongft themfelves were no better tl»^
flavcs, whilft thofe that were united might properly
be called free: that if he could extinguifli private
ambition and inteftine difcord in Florence, by ^
manner of governing, furely he might be faid to «•
cftablifli their freedom, and not to deprive them mf
it : that he did not aflume the government out of any
ambition of his own, but accepted it at the entreaties
of many of their fellow-<:itizenss -and therefore they
Vould do well to concur with them in the choice diqr
-had made of him. That as -to the dangers lie w^s
likely to eiq)dfc limfelf to in this undertakiog^hcdid

4J0t

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not Njg^rd thetn i as it would be mean and pufiffà-
nìmMs to decline an opportunity of doing godd, for
ftar of any evil that might enfue ; and that none bue
(iowards would lay àQde a glorious enterprìfe, merely
upon the uncertainty of fuccefs. That lie hoped to
behave himfelf in fuch a manner» as would food ob-*
Hgc them to acknowledge they had feared hxin too
mucfi, and trufted him too little.*' The Sigriiory

iimfing by this anfwer, that no good was to be done,
were forced to confent, that the people fhould affem-
We the next morning in the Piazza before their pa-
lace, and the government be transferred, by their aii-
cbority, to the Duke, for the fpace of one year, upon
the fanie conditbns that it had been formerly com*
initted into the bands of the Duke of Calabria.

On the eighth of September, 1342, the Duke, at»
tended by Giovanni della Tofò, with all his friends,
and many other citizens, came into the Piazza : and
Caking the Signiory with him, mounted the * Ring-
hiera, or landing- place, at the top of the fteps before
the Palace Gate, where he caufed the Agreement be-

' twikt htm and the Signiory to be publickly read ; and

-When the perfon Who read it came to that Article,
where the government was fatd to be given him for a
5réar, the people (houted out, fcr li/e^for life. Upon
whkh, Francifco Ruftichegli, one of the Signiory,
TO^ up to have fpoken, awd endeavoured to compote^

^e turfiiilt ; but he was interrupted, and could not
be hàird. So that the Duke was made their Sovc-
re^n Lord by the confcnt of the people, not for a
year only^ but for ever ; and afterwards carried about
the Piazza in a chair, amidft the acclamations of the
ttiultit^de. It is a cuftom amongft the Florentines,
that whoever» appointed captain of the Palace
Guard, is to (hut him&lf clofe up m it, in the abfence

' * A« it wat tifaal to addrefs the people upon publick occaiionsfrom
this and other fuch emmences, the word Rit^kiera came at laft to ^«
jiify a RoArum» Pulpit, or reading Deik. From hence» I itippofey
tomésthé Italian yerb aringare,xk^fv^tis:ixk£raf^un, and tbe£nglìi(b
Uàgnttgke^

oi

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Bodk IL o:F FLORENCE, f+i

of the Si^iaiiy. This charge happened at fhttitfUe
to be m the hands of Rinieri Giotto^ who being cor«
rupted by the Duke^s friends, admitted htm into the
palace without making any refiftance» to the <gfeac
ofience and difiionour of the Signiory, who remmed
to their own boufes, and left it to be (Sundered ^
the Duke's fervants, after they hid torn the Standard
of the City to pieces, and planted their maftei^s
there in its ftead : at which, all the good Cicizeiis
mHlf^i^iccly grieved and mortified^ whilft theft i^c
etthnrr^olK of malice or ftupidity had conientcd toihis
efeA{on,^Cid not a little rejoice.

The Duke was no fooner in pofleflion of the O^
vernmeat, but in order to take away the authority of
thofe Who had been the moft zealous advocates for
their liberties, he forbad the Signiory to afTemble anf
more at the Palace, and affigned them a private hoofe
to meet in. He took away the colours from the Goiifa«
loniers of the feveral Companies ; be repealed the old
Laws againft the NobiHty,«he difcharged all Priibnert^
recalled the Bardi and Frefcobaldi from baniibment»
prohibited the wearing of fwords or other anns, and
to fecure himfel^ againil his enemies within the Citjr^
he mauk as many friends as he could in the adjacent
.territories : for which purpofc, he fhcwed great favovr
to the people of Arezzo, and all others that were n»
any wife dependent upon the city o£ Florence. He
concluded a peace with the Pifans, tjioi^ he had beeit
vetted with abfolute power on purpofc to cany cm
the war againft them with greater vigour^ He took
away the fecurities and affignments from the IlSer-
. chants, who had knt money to the State, in the war
with the Luccheie, and not only increafed the former
taxes, but exaded new ones from the people. He
entirely difiblved the authority of the Signiory, and
&t up three new Rettori or Judges, Baglione da Br-
^rugia, Guglielmo da SceO, and Ceretueri Viidofmri^
who wece his council dpon all occafìons. The lm«
pofts he laid upon the Citizens were very grievous»
hisjudlcial proceedings partial and ui^uft^ ^nd ahat

iiumi'»

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.ItumiUty and ihew of Religion which be had put on
at firft, were now fucceeded by fuch an intolerable de-
gree of haughtinefs and cruelty, that many of the
NobiKty^ and moft confiderable Cooimoners, wene
condemned and put to death, after they had been tor*
turcd in a new and unheard-of manner. His tyranny
was no lefs infupportable in the Country than in the
City : for after a while, he appointed fix more Judges,
to plunder and opprefs the other towns. He was
jealous of the Nobility, though he lay under great
obligations to fome of them, and had recalled others
from exile ; as he thought they were too generous
and high-fpirited to bear with his infolent manner of
governing. Upon which account, he began to pay
his court to the people, by whofe favour, and the af-
fiftance of foreign forces, he hoped he ftiould be able
•to fupport himfelf in his tyrannical ufurpation.
. In the month of May, at which time the Floren-
tines ufually celebrate many Holidays, he caufed the
inferior fort of people to be divided into fcveral Com-
panies, to which he gave pay, and honoured theni^
.with colours and fplendid titles: upon which, thene
was nothing but feafting and rejoicings to be feen in
: every part of the city, one halt of the inhabitants bc^*
'ing employed in vifiting, and the other in receiving,
and entertaining them. And when the news of hi$
' great power and authority began to be fpread abroad,
many of the French nation reforted to his court, to
whom he gave preferments, and (hewed more favour
than to any others, as perfons whom he thought he
might thoroughly confide in : fo that Florence in a
Ihort time became; fubjeft jiot only to French men,
but to the French cuftoms and drefs, every one of
both fexes endeavouring to 'imitate their fa&ions,
without any regard to modefty, or even common de-
cency. But what feemed more intolerable was, the
violence that was offered by him and his followers, to
all forts of women, from the lowcfl: to the highcft.
The citizens therefore were provoked beyond all pa-
tience, te fee the majefty of their government thus

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trampled upon, their ordinances abolilhcd, their Laws
annulled, all honeft converfation corrupted, and mo-
defty every where drfpifed and infulted : for thofe
who had not been accuftomed to regal pomp, could
riot, without infinrte concern, behold the Duke pa-
fadfng the City, furrounded by guards, both on foot
and on horfeback. But as there was no remedy, they
were forced to court and honour him in appearance,
whilft they mortally hated him in their hearts: and
they were not a little terrified at the frequent execu-
tions, and continual impofitions, with which he weak-
ened and impovcri(hed the City. Nor was the Duke
himfclf ignorant of the general odium he had incurred,
or without fears of his own, upon that account ; tho*
he affefted to appear, as if he thought himfclf ex-
tremely beloved.

It happened, that Matteo de Morozzi, either to
gain the Duke's favour, or to exculpate himfclf, dif-
covcred a certain plot againft him, in which the fa-
mily of the Medici, and fome others, were concern-
ed : but the Duke was fo far from n^akingan enquiry
into it, that he ordered the Informer to be put to
death* : by which manner of proceeding, he deterred
every one from giving him any fort of informadoa
that was neceflary for his fafety, and gave great en-
couragement to fuch as confpired his deftru6Uoi)ir

• This was a£Hng in a manner very difTerent from moft Tyrants,
and indeed from many wife States and Princes, who have always
thought it neceflary to encourage Informers, at leaft to a certain di-
grce, upon this maxim, that it men are falfely acciiicd, they will be
acquitted when th^y are brought to a fair trial j and thofe who are
guilty, cannot be punithed if they are not firft accufed. Tully, ia '
his oration pro Sexiio Ro/cio, fajs, that though the Dogs that were kept
ill the'Capitol could not diftioguift) thieves trom honcll men, yet their
barking at every body that came thither in the night, was of ufe, at
jt fcrvtd to alarm the people, and put them upon their guard. Tluii
it is the intereft of the State to encourage accufers, in order to deter
thofe who might otherwife dilVui b the public tranquillity. Anto*
ninus Fius, however, would neither liften to Informers, nor fuffer
^ch to be puniOied as had been aéliiaily concerned in confpiracie»
againft him j and when the Senate was very urgent with him, to
make an enquiry into their proceedings, he anfwercd, «« ho did not
chufe to have it known, that tb^e was any body ttho did not lovs
him." Vi6tor. in Vit Anton. Pii. /

Vol. I. L He

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yie likcwifc caufed the tongue of Bettoni Cini to be
cut out, with fuch circumftances of cruelty, that, he
died of it V and for no other reafon, but becaufc he
had conf)plained of the heavy taxes that he had laid
upo^i the city : an aft of barbarity which exceedingly
increafed the rage and difdain of the Citizens, who
having been ufed both to fay and to do every thing
Vith the greateft freedom, could not bear to have
dieir hands tied up, and their mouths (topped in this
manner.

. Thcfe outrages were fufficient to roofe not only
the Florentines, (who neither know how to value
their liberty nor endure flaveryj but even the moft
abjeft nation upon earth, to attempt the recovery of
their freedom. Many of the Citizens therefore, of
all ranks, were determined either to fliake off the
yoke, or to die gtorioufly in the caufe of Liberty : fo
that there were three Confpiracies on foot againft him,
at the fame time, amongft three different forts of
people, the Nobility, the Commons, and the Arti-
ficers and Tradefmen. For befides the motives
arifing from a general oppreffion, each party had . its
J)articular reafons. The Commons had been deprived
©f the government, the Nobility were not reftored to
it, and the Tradefmen had loft all their bufinefs*
j(\gnolo Acciaivoli, who was then ArchbiChop of Flo-
rence, at firft had highly extolled the aftions and good
qualities of the Duke in fome of his Sermons to the
{)Cople, and wonderfully conciliated their affeftions to
bim : but w|icn he faw him in full pofeffion of the
Government, and exercifing his power in that arbi-
trary and defpotic man^j^he began to think he had
ibufed his fellow Citiz^s ; and to make them fomc
amends, refolved to put himfelf at the head of the
firft and moft -powerful confpiracy, in which he en-
gaged with the Bardi, Roffi, Frefcobaldi, Scali, Al-
iovlti, Magalotti, Strozzi, and Mancini. The prin-
cipal conduftors of the fecond confpiracy were Manno
iyid Corfo Donati, and under th^m the Pazzi, Ca-
vicciulli, Cerchi and Albizi. Of the third, Antonio
.;. .. Adì-

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Adimari was the Head, and joined by tlie families
of the Medici, Bordini, Rucellai, and AldobrandinL
Their defign was to have killed him in the houfe of
the Albizi, whither it was imagined. he would come
on Midfummer day to fee the Horfe-races ; but, as
it happtried, he did not go thither on that day, and
their defign wi's difappointed. The next propofal
^as, to affaffinate him in the flreet: but that was
thought too* difficult, becaufe he always went well
^rmcd and attended : and as he feldom took the fame
round twice together, they could not certainly tell
where it would be moft proper to lie in wait for him.
'Some were of opinion it would be the bed way to dif-
fzzch him in the Council : but then it was confidered
that even after he was dead, they muft of neceffity be
ièfc to the difcrction of his Guards.

• Wliilft thcfe things were in debate amongft the
confpirators, Antonio Adimari communicated the af-
fair to fome of his friends at Siena in hopes of their

' affiftance, told them the names of the principal per-
fons that were engaged in it, and aflured them the
whole city was difpofed to (hake off their yoke:
' upon which, one of the Sienefe imparted the matter
'to Francifco Brunellefchi, not. with any defign to
" have betrayed the confpiracy, but becaufe he took
' it for granted that he was privy to it ; and Francifco,
" cither out of fear or malice to fome that were con-
cerned, difcoverèd the whole to the Duke, who im-
mediately ordered Paolo da Mazzecca and Simone da
' Montezappoli to be apprehended. Thefe two being
examined made a full confeflion, and acquainted the
Duke with the number and quality of the confpira-
tors, at which he was not a little frighted : however,
' afier he had conf'.)lted his friends, he thought fit ra-

• thcr to fummon the reft to appear before him, than
to ky^violent hands upon them ; becaufe if they fled,
the danger would be over without any further diftur-
bancc. In confequence of this refolution, he in the
firft place lent for Adimari, who relying upon the
number and fupport of his accomplices, boldly made

. L 2 his

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his appearance and was fcnt to prifon. After this
ftep, he was advifed by Francifco Brunellelchi and
TJguccionc Buondelmontc to go to the houfcs of the
others with his guards, and to felze upon them there
and put them to death ; but confidering how many
enemies he had in the town, he thought he had not
ftrength fufficient to do that, and therefore took an- ^
other refolutipn, which, if it had fucceedcd, would
have freed him from the mofl: powerful of his ene-
mies, and made him ftrong enough to over^awc the
reft.

It had been his cuftom to call the Citizens toge-
ther and defire their opinions and advice upon any
emergency ; and now having affcmbled as many forces
as he could, he drew out a lift of three hundred
Citizens and gave it to his ferjcants to fumnion every
one of them, on a pretence that he wanted jo con-
fultiTwith them -, dcfigning when they were met, either
. toÉpl or imprifon them all. But the confinement of
Apniari, and the gathering together fuch a number
of armed men, which could not be done without fomc
buftle, made many of them, cfpecially th^ Confpira-
tors, fo fufpicious, jhat the moft refoliitc amongft
them pofitively ftj^w to obey the fummons. After
the lift had been wa4 by them all, they had a meet-
ing, in which thej^enc'ouraged eafib'other to take up
arms and die like tpen with thei^ fvv(#ds in their
hands, rather than fuffcr themfelves to be driven like
flieep to the flaughter : fo that in lefs than an hour
all thofe that were concerned in the different Confpira-
ctes, having communicated their defigas to each other,
refolved to raife a tumult the next day ][ which was the
26th of July. 1 34^) in the old Market-place, upon
which tHey were all to take arms and excite the peo-
ple to rife and attempt the recovery of their liberty.
The next day therefore, when the Bell rung for
Nones "^, they all rofe, as had been agreed on,' and

• The original is, al fuom dì nona. The Itaìians begin their ac-
count of hours from iun fet^ and end it ac fun fee again, which in-
ai

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at the cry of Liberty^ Liberty^ the people likewifc ran
to arms in their leverai Quarters, under the Colours
of the City, which had been fecrecly delivered to
theoi before hand by the Confpirators for that pur-
pofe. All the heads of families, both of the Nobi-
lity and Commonalty, met together and took an Oath
to ftand by each other in their own defence and thè
deftruétion of the Duke, except fome of the Buon^
delmonti and Cavalcanti, and thole four families of
the Commoners that had been the chief inftruments
in conferring the fovereignty upon him, who ran arm-
ed to the Piazza of the Palace with a parcel of Butch-
ers and others of the dregs of the people at their heels
to defend the Duke.

In the mean time the Duke, not a little alarmed at
thefe proceedings, was very bufy in fortifying the
Palace ; and thofe of his Guards that lodged in ether
parts of the city, mounted their horlcs and rode to-
wards the Piazza-, but in their way thither they were
attacked feveral times and many of them killed.
However, as about three hundred Horfe had affem-
bled there to fuppprt him, he was in doubt whether
he Ihould fally out and face his enemies, gr defend
himfelf in the Palace. On the other hand, the Me-
dici, Cavicciulli, Rucellai, and other families who
had fufFered mod by him, were apprehenfivc that if
lie fhould make a fally, many who had taken arms
againft him would declare thernfelves his friends :
^nd therefore being refolved to prevent him from Iklj-
lying out and gaining more ftrength, they drew up
and attacked his forces that were aflVmbled in the
Piazza. Upon this, the families which appeared at
firft in the Dukc*s defence, feeing themfelvc$ fo vi-

dudes a fpace of twenty fonr hours. And as the fun fets with them
about nine o'clock at that feafon of the Year, their ninth hour muft
be about fix the next morning, as we reckon time,— i/ yào«o di nona^
\s alfe often ufed by Italian writers, for ringing the bell for Nonet
about mid day, which is one of thf^ir ftatcd hours of prayer, Thf
latter feems to be meant here, as the tumult was to be begun in the
Market place, which at tliat time of the day might be fuppofed to btt
fulleft of people. /

L 3 goroufly

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gorpufly aflaulted, immediately changed their fide,
aqd dcfercing him in his dittrefs, all joined their felr
Jow-cirizcns, except Uguccionc Euondelmonte, whc?
withdrew into the Palace, and Gianozzo Cavalcanti
ivl>o retreated wich fome of his party into the New
Market, where he got upon a table and made an har
ranguc to the people, in whirh .he earncftly cxhortc4
thofe whom he found in arms there to hallen to thq
Ef^ke's afllftance. And to intimidate them, he mag-
nified liis ftrength, and told them,, that every man of
them would be put to death if they perfiiled in their
rebellion againft their Prince. Bue as nobody eicher
fcemed to regard him or thought it wortii their while
to chaftife him for his infolence, after he had taken
much pains to no purpofe, he reiblved not to hazard
his perfon any longer, and fneaked away to his own
Jioufc. The difpute was very fharp in the mean time
betwixt the people and the Duke's party in the Piazza,
and though the latter were reinforced from the Palace, '
they were worfted, part of them furrendering to the
enemy, others quitting their horfes and efcaping on
foot into the Palace. Whilft they were thus engagec}
\n the Piazza, Corfo and, Amerigo Dcnati with fome
others of the people broke open the Prifons, burnt
(he records of the Judges Courts and publick Chamr
ber, plundered the houfes of the Magiftrates and kil-
led all the Duke's creatures they could meet with.
The Duke on the other hand, feeing the Piazza was
left, th4t the whole city was become his 'enemy, and
no hopes of relief left, rcfolvcd to try if he could re-
gain the affcdtions of the people by fome afts of grace
apd indulgence. For which purpofe he knighted
Antonio Adimari in the fi: ft place, though much
againft his own inclination, and with very little fatif-
fadion to the other: he then fcnt for all the reft
whom he had imprifoned, and fet them at liberty with
promifes of hi$ future friendfh p and favour : he like*
wife caufed his own ttandard to be taken down, and
that of the people to be fet up again at the Palace :
all which things being done in a very ungracious

man-
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manner, and out of mere neceffity, had but little cf-
fetì:. So that he ftill continued blocked up in the
Palace to his great mortificacion, when he faw that by
grafping at too much power he was Hkely to lofc all,
and citKcr to be famiflied or maffacred in a few days.
After this fuccefs, the Citizens aflfcmblcd-in St.
Reparata's in order to reform the Government, and
appointed fourteen perfons, one half of theno of the
Nobility and the other of the Commoiters, who in
conjunàion with the ArchbilTiop (hould have full
power to new-model the State as they pleafed.' They
alfo committed the authority of the Podefta to fix
Magiftratcs, who were to adminifter juftice till the
arrival of the perfon whom they (hould make choice
of to fill that Office. There were many people in
Florence at that time, who had come thither to the
afllftance of the Citizens ; and amongft the reft, fix
Deputies from Siena, men of great efteem in their
own Country, who endeavoured to bring about fomc
accommodation betwixt the people and the Duke.
But the people abfolutely refuièd toliften to any over-
tures of that kind, except Guglielmo da Scefi, toge-
ther with his fon and Cerettieri Vifdomini, were deli-
vered up to them, which the Duke would not con-
fcnt to by any means, till the threats of thofe that
were blocked up with him in the Palace obliged him
to comply. G rearer certainly and more cruel is the
refentment of the People when they have recovered
their liberty, than when they are afting in'defence of
it. Guglielmo and his Son were brought out and
given up to thoufands of their enemies; and though
the Son was not quite eighteen years of age, yet nei-
ther his youth, nor innocence, ,nor the gracefulnefs
of his perfon were fufiicient to proted him from the
rage of the multitude. Many who could not get near
enough to reach them whilft they were alive, thruft
their fwords into them after they were dead ; and not
content with this, they tore their carcafles to pieces
with their nails and teeth : that fo all their fenfes might
be glutted with revenge ; and after they had fcafted

L 4 their

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152 T H E H I S T O R y Book If.

their cars with their groans, their eyes with their
wounds, and their touch with tearing the fle(h off their
bones; as if all this was not enough, the tafte' like-
wife might have its (hare and be gratified. This fa-
vagc Barbarity, how fatal foever to thofe two, was the
prefervation of Cerettieri ; for the people having fpent
their fury upon thefe unfortunate men, entirely forgot
him, and he was privately conveyed in the night by
fome of his friends and relations out of the Palace
into a place of fecurity.

When the people were thus fatiated with blood,
the Duke and hisi friends were fuffered to withdraw
with their effefts unmolefted out of Florence, on con-
dition that he would renounce all claim and pretcn-
fions to any authority over the city, and ratify his re-
nunciation when he got to Cafentino, a place out of
the Florentine Dominions •, in purfuance of which
agreement, he left Florence on the futh of Auguft,
cicorted by many of the Citizens, and upon his arri-
val at Cafentino, confirmed his renunciation, though
with much reluftance ; and indeed it is very likely
he would not have done it at all, if Conte Simone had
not threatened to carry him back again to Florence *.
This Prince, as his aftions have fully fhewn, was of
a fanguinary and avaricious difpofition, difficult of
accefs, and haughty in his anfwers. As he did not
regard theaffeftions of the people, whom he hopfd
to enflave, he rather chofe to be feared than loved.
Nor was his perfon lefs difagreeable than his beha-
viour was odious. For he was very low of ftature,

• Livy relates, 1. xxiv. c. ii. that Dionyiius the tyrant ufed to fay,
•* That rather than return to a private condition on horfeback, be
would be dragged to it by the feet.' It is no wonder, indeed, that
tvrants refign their power with relu6lanre; for when they have done
io, how can they refund the fums of whkh they have plundered their
country ? How can they indemnify thofe whom they have imprifoned ?
How can they rettore life to the perfons the) have pur to death .^
Who will defend them againft.the general refentment of the. people ?
Pcriander faid, *< it was daneerous for a tyrant to abdicate even of
hi& own accord." Yet Syllaoid it, and died a natural death, after he
had (h«d the blood ot 100,000 private men, 90 Senators, 15 of con-
fular dignity^ and above zooo GenUemen.

ot

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Book II. O F F L O R E N C E. 155

of a fwarthy completion, with a long thin beard:
fo that he was every way dcfpicablc and worthy of
general contempt : and the enormities of his admi^
niftration in the courfe of about ten months, deprived
him of that Dominion which he had acquired by
the contrivance and co-operation of bad Citizens.

This revolution in the city encouraged all the reft
• of the towns under the jurifdidion of the Floren-
tines to take up arms for their liberties ; fo that in a
Ibort time,, Arezzo, Caftiglione, PiAoia, Volterra,
Colic and St. Gimignano revolted ; and the whole
tcr-ritory of Florence, after the example of its Metro-
polis, {hook off its yoke and became entirely free : in
this manner, the Florentines, by the fteps they took
to recover their own liberty, at the fame time taught
their Vaflals to do the like. »

After the Duke was thus depofcd, the Council of
fourteen and the Archbifhop confulting together,
thought it would be better to attach their former
fubjeds to them by pacific mcafurea, than to widen
the breach byhoftilities ; and pretending to be no
lefs pleafcd with their liberty than their own, they
fent Deputies to Arezzo to renounce the Sovereignty
which they before had over it, and to enter into aa
alliance with the Citizens: that fo, though they could
not for the future command them as fubjccts, they
might upon occafion make ufe of their alfiftance as
friends. This prudent refolution had a very good
effeft ; for all the reft of the towns, except Arezzo,
returned to their former obedience in a few months,
and Arezzo itfelf followed their example not many
years after. 1 hus experience (hews that fome ends
are obtained with lefs danger and expence by coolnefs
and indifference, than by purfuing them with paffion
and impetuofity.

When affairs abroad were compofed in this man-
ner, they began to fettle the form of their govern-
ment at home ; and after fome 'difputes betwixt the
Nobility and the People, it was agreed that one third
of the Signiory, and one half of the other Magi-

Urates

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112 THE HISTORY Book IL

that city came to their afllAance : by which means,
things were accorrrmodared for a time» the tumults
compofed, and the people fatisfìed with continuing in
pofieffion of their liberty and government» without
inSi£ting any punifhmenc upon the author of this
difturbance.

The f ope had been informed of thefc broils at
Florence^ and feut his Legate Niccolò da Prato thi-
ther to quiet them if pofTiblei who, bcmg a prelate
of great experience, addrefs, and reputation, foon
gained fuch an influence over the people, that they
gave him a commiflion to new-model the city a^ he
pleafcd. And as he rather inclined to favour the
Ghibelioe faftion, he propofed to recall all thofe of
that party who had been baniihed : but thought it ne-
ccuary, in the fi rft place, to ingratiate himfelf ftill
further with the people, by reftoring their ancient
Companies, which added much to their ftrength, and
diminifticd that of the Nobility. When he thought
he had thus fufficiently engaged their afit&ions, he
determined to bring back the exiles, and tried feverai
means to effedt it : but was fo far from fuccceding,
that he became obnoxious to the Governors, and was
forced out of the city,, which he left in the utmoft
confufio^, and was provoked to fuch a degree àt th€
treatment he had met with, that he put it under an
interdift at his departure.

Two faótions not being fufficient, the city was now
divided and fubdivided into leverai, as thofe of the
People and Nobility, the Guelphs and theGhibelines,
the Bianchi and the Neri 5 and fome who wilhed for
the return of the exiles, being difappointed in their
hopes now the Legate was gone, grew clamorous and
outrageous : fo that the whole city was in an uproar,
and many fktrmilhes enfued. Thofe that were (noft
a^ive in raifing this clamour, were the Medici and
Giugni, who had openly fided with the Legate in fa-
vour of the exiles.

In the midft of thofe rencounters, which daily hap-^
pened in all parts of the town^ a fire broke out» toadd^

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to ^tltèiV còHftlfioii, Which fjf)fèàd ¥lroiii the Òrto di
San MrcHetè (w^^rfc it tìrft begin) to the hòufes of
Vht À'bfcatì, àtld 'fròtt therfcè to 'thòfe of the Càpon-
feicclir, ^"hìch 'i^ere ili burnt 'down to the ground, to-
geihèfV \^h:h"the hcTufes òf the Nlàtd; Amreri, l^ofchi,
CfpVtótìi, LàWl5cni, Ca^valcànti, àhd ali- the tie,w Mar-
ket •. iVortì wh?!hcè the fiàtìies fpread to Porta di Skntà
Ms^rià, ^ich Wàs dntirely confo tfied ; ànd being
drlVtn try the wiqd toWàrds the old Bridge, they likc-
wHi dempiìfeed the ìtòtircs of the Gherardini, Pulci^
Atrtiadfei, Luckrdefi, ànd fò many others, that thè
trtinnfbèf amò^unted to above *thirte'en hundred.

Many v^ertt of 'opinion that this misfortune was the
fefffett ot atcidehti ahd th'at fòme hoofes took fire by •
fchatide, whiitì the owners of theib were engaged in à
ifkirtfrffh which happehéé at that tinne. Others af-
firm, that it wis oAVing to tiie villaby of Neri Abbati,
Prior of. St. Pietro Schèraggjò, à diffoluté and aban-
doned fdJow, who, feeing every body fo bufily cm-
•ptoyed, took that opportunity of doihg a rnifchief
tor •tvhicfi there coDld be no remiedy ; arrd that i'c
thight fbcceed the better, and make him lefs fuf-
peftfcd, he aifb fetfire to thè hòufes of his own friends,
\vhere he had a convenience of doih^ it.

It was in July 1304, when Florence was vifiied in
thts lamentable iViantier with fire "and fword. At
which time, Corfo Donati Was the only perfon of any*
iKftrrnifion that did not take up an*n's in thofe tumults:
for he thought that when all fideS grew rired^f fight-
ing, and inclined to a reconciliation, he was the more
lively, upon that accotmt, to be called in as an arbi-
ttàtor to decide th'èir difterenceii. Accordingly, thej^
Iboh after Jaid doWn their arms, tlloùgh more out of
SWcàrinfefè df tiieir mrfctits, anfd thit they might hàvì
èiftit tó take breach, tliah from ahy feal defifc of be-
ing Tc'uhited, and living in peace : for upon the Whole,
?t Wai o^ly ftipuhttd, that the Entiles mould not bè
*fdfirrèd to rèturh ; Which Was *ahrefà to by thofe that
favoured them, mcre^ly beCatrfé the^ proved to bè thè
H^takef fide. '

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The Legate, at his return to Rome, being informed
of thefe new difturbances at Florence, told the Pope,
that if he had any defire of compofing them, it wouk}
be the beft way, in his opinion, to fend for twelve of
the principal malecontents of that City, and to detain
them at Rome for fome time: for when the fomenters
of thofe evils were removed, it would be an cafy
matter to extinguifh them. This advice was fo well
approved of by the Pope, that he pitcd the above-
mentioned number of thofe citizens to appear before
him, (amongft whom was Corfo Donati) who reiidily
obeyed the fummons. But as foon as they were fee
out .upon their journey, the Legate found means to
acquaint the Exiles, that if ever they hoped to rctUFn
to Florence, that was their time, as the City was then
clear of the only men that had authority enough to
oppofe their entrance. Upon this encouragement,
the Citizens that had been banifhcd, drawing together
what forces they couW« immediately marched towards
Florence, and not only entered the city in that part
where the new walls were not yet thoroughly finilhed,
but advanced as far as the Piazza di St. Giovanni.
It is certainly worthy of notice, that thofe very ci-
tizens, who but a little before had exerted themfclves
in the mod lirenuous manner for their return, when
they petitioned in an humble and fubmiffive manner
io be re-admitted, were the firft that took up arms
againft them, now they faw them approach in ahoftilc
manner, and joined with the people to drive them
back again, as they efFcftually did -, for fuch was the
fpiritofpatriotifm amongft them in thofe days, that
they chearfully^gave up all private interefts and friend-
fhips for the fake of the publick good. Their mif-
carriage in this attempt, may chiefly be imputed to
leaving part of thei;- forces at Laftra, and not waiting
for Tolofetto Uberti, who was advancing with three
hundred horfe from Piftoia to their affiftance; as they
imagined expedition was of much greater importance
than numbers at that time : and indeed, it is certain^
that in fuch cafes, a fair opportunity is often loft by

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BoofelL O F F L O R E N C E. nj

delay ; but àt the fame time we muft confidcr, that
precipitate entcrprizes are feldorti fopported by a pro-
per force.

After the Exiles were thus repulfedj the Citizens re-
lapfed into their former diftraftions : and in order to^
deprive ihe Cavalcanti of the authority which they
had aflumed^ they feizcd upon thcCaftleof Le Stinche,
io the Val de Greve, which had been in poffeffion of
that family for a great number of years : and as thbfe
who were then in this Caftle, were the firft that were
committed to the public prifon which had been lately
built, that edifice from thence took the name of Lc
Stinche, which it ftill retains. The next ftep that the
governors of the commonwealth took, was to re-
eftablifh the Companies of the People, and to rettore
the Colours under which the Arts had formerly beca
ufed to aflemble : the Captains, the Gonfaloniers, or
Standard-bearers of the Companies, and theOfficers of
Juftice, were called together, and ordered not only
to aflift the Signiory in times of peace with their
counfel, but to fupport and defend them by dint of
arms in all exigencies and commotions. To aflift the
two Judges who had been conftituted in the beginning
of their ftate, they appointed an officer, called il Ef-
fecutcrCy or Sheriff, who was to aft in conjunftion
with the Gonfaloniers, and to fee their orders carried
intoexecution, whenever the Nobility fhould be guilty
of any enormity or aft of oppreflion.

But the Pope dying in the^ mean time, Corfo and
the other eleven Citizens, returned to Florence, where
they might all have lived in peace, if the reftlefs am-
bition of Corfo had not occafioned frefti troubles.
In order to make himfelf popular, he conftantly op-
pofed the Nobility in all their fchemes, and which way
foever he obfcrved the people to incline, he turned all
his authority to fupport them in it, and gain their af-
feftions : fo that in all contefts and divifions, or when
they had any extraordinary point to carry, they al-
ways reforted to him, and put themfelves under his
dircftions. This created him much hatred and envy

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^mpngft the moft Goofidei-able Citizens, which at lafl:
increafed to fuch a degree^ th^t the fa^ipn of the
Neri divided and quarrelled amongft themfelves, when
they faw Corlb avail himfelf in fuf:h a manner of the
^ffe<9ions of the people, and join with the enemies of
the public to promote his own private views: yec
fuch was the awe they ftood in of his perfon and au-
t^jofity, that every one was afraid of him. However»
as the moft likely way to alienate the affedions of the
people from him,- they gave out, that he fecretly de-
igned to fei^e upon the government, and m^ke him«
^If King) which it was no difficult matter to make
them believe, from his magnìfìcenr, an^ indeed pro-
fufe, manner of living, which far exceeded thofe
bounds of moderation that ought not to be tranf-
grcffed by any private Citizen or Subject, andwas cal-
culated, they faid, to ferve ibme dangerous purpofe,
j/Vnd this fufpicion was not a little corroborated, when
they faw him, foon after, married to a daughter of
Ugucciope della Faggiuola, bead of the Bianchi ancj
Ghibclines, and a man of very great intercft and
power in Tufcany.

As foon as this alliance came to the knowledge of
his enemies, they grew fo bold upon it, that they
took up arms againlt him ; and the greater part of
the people, ipftead of appearing in his defence, for-
^ok him and joined his adverfaries; the chief of
whom were Roflb della Tofa, Pazziano de Pazzi,
Geri Spini, and Berta Bruneljefchi. The|e and their
friends, with a great multitude of armed mtn^ afiem-
bled at the fteps of the Palace of the Signiory,^ by
whofe command an accufatioo was preferred againlt
Corlb to Pietro Branca, captain of the people, as a
pctfoo* wh^ by the afliftance of Uguccione, afpired
to make himfelf abfolute. Upon which impcach-
npent, being cited to appear before him^^^ he refufed
to obey the fummons ; and was therefore declared ^
contumacious rebel, in leis than two hours after hf
ii^d been accufed This fcntencc being pronounced^ *
the Signiory, with the Companies of tl}e peopte utij

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Book IL O F F L O R E N C E. 117^

dcr their feveml coldars, went direftly to'apprehenx!'
him. Corfo, on the other hand, not in the Icaft dif-
mà3red, either at the rigour of the fentence, the atr-
thority of tfee Signiory, the number of his cnemiesr,
OF thcinconftamiy of hisr friends, many of whom had
now deferred hin^, imnfiediately began to fortify hii
koufe, iti hopes of being able to defend hrmfelf there,
tiU Ug^accione (to whom he had fent word of thedel^
perate circumftances he was in) could cortre to his re-
lief. The avenufcs to his houfe were barricaded and^
guarded by thofe of his party that dill adhered to
him, in fuch a manner, that though the aflkilants'
were numerous, they could not force their way through»
t*hem. Many were killed and wotsnded on both fides^
in this aétion. Which was very fharp : at laft, the peo-
. pk finding they could not enter that way, got into*
the neighbouring houfes, and unexpeftedly broktf
through the walls of them into his. Corfo feemg
fcimfelf thus furroun<fed on- 2t fudden by his enemies,.
and tbat|there was no hope of faccour from-Ugtic»
eione, nor any other refuge left, refolved to try if it
wa9 poflible to make his efcape.

Advancing», therefore, with Gherardo Bondini, amf
fòWtó others of his moft refolute and faithful friends,
he mada fo furious an attack upon the enemy, that
' he bwhe through thettì, and fled out of the Port^
alia Cruce. However, as they were clofely purfueti,
Gherardo was killed by Boccaccio CaviciuUi, upon
the Pbme ad Africo, and Corfo taken prifoner at Ro*
vezzancs by foche Cata4an horfe that were in the pay •
tìf the Signiory. But as he could not endure thd
thoughts of being infuhod, and perhaps torn to pieces
by a vi(ftòriou6 enemy, he threw himfelf ftx)m hi^
horfe td the ground, as- they were bringing* him back
t© Florence, where he was flain by ono of the guards r
his body w«is aftenwards picked up by the monks of
St. Satvq;, and interred without any folemnity, or fe-
pulchral honours. Such was the unfortunate end of
Corfo Donati, to whom his country, and the Neri,
owed much,» both of their good and bad fortune:

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Ii8 T H E H I S T O R Y Book II.

Vfkhouc doubt» if he had not been of fo reftlefs a diC-
poficion, his memory would have been held in greater
honour. However, his name deferves to be ranked
amongft thofe of the mod eminent men that our city
has ever produced ; though indeed, it cannot be de-
nied, that the turbulcncy of his fpirit made both his
country and party forget their obligations to him,
and at lad, was not only the caufe of his own death,
but brought many evils upon them. Uguccione bad
advanced as far ^s Remoli, in his way to Florence,
with fupplies to relieve his fon-in-law ; but being in-
formed there, that he was fallen into the hands of the
people, and imagining that all fuccour would then be
too late, he thought it the moft prudent way to turn
back again, as he might otherwife very likely preju-
dice himfelf, without being able to do him any ftr-
vice.

After the death of Corfo, which happened in the
year 1308, all tumults ceafed, and every body lived
quietly, till news arrived that Henry the Emperor^
was come into Italy with all the Florentine Exiles in
his army, whom he had promifed to reinftate in their
country. The Magiftrates, therefore, in order to dif-
trefs him, and leflen the number of their enemies,
granted a free pardon to all fuch as had been rebels,
and invited them to return •, excepting feme particu*
lar pcrfons exprefsly mentioned. Thofe that were
excluded, were moftly of tl>e Ghibeline faftion, and
certain of the Bianchi j amongft whom, were Dante
Alighieri, ike Sons of Veri de Cerchi, and of Giano
della Bella. They likewife fent to follicit the aflillance
of Robert, King of Naples, but not being able to
obtain it as allies, they gave him the government of
their City for five years, upon condition that he would
defend and protesa them as his fubjeds. The Em-
peror, in his pa0age, arrived at Pifa, and from thence
came to Rome, where he was crowned, in the year
J312 ; and being determined to humble the Floren-
tines, he marched by the way of Perugia and Arezzo
to Florence, and fat down with his army at the Mo-

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Book li. O F F L O R E N C £• 119

nailery of Sc. Salvi, about a mile from the city,
where he continued fifty days without gaining any
advantage. At lad, when he found that enterprize
not likely to fuccced as he expeftcd, he returned to,
Pifa, and entered into k confederacy with Frederick,
King of Sicily, in order to make an attempt upon
Naples. For which purpofe, he marched that way
with his army •» but at a time when he thought him-
felf fure of fuccefs,, and Robert was fb frighted that
he gave up his kingdom for lod, the Emperor died
at Buonòonvento.

It happened not long after, that Uguccione della
Faggiuola firft made himfelf matter of Pifa, and then
of Lucca, by the affiftance of the Ghibclinès ; from
whence he committed great depredations upon the
neighbouring ftates. The Florentines, therefore, to
free themfelves from the terror occafioned by his in-
curfions into their territories, invited Peter, King Ro-
bert's brother, to cóme and take upon him the com-
mand of their forces. Uguccione, on the other
hand, neglefted no opportunity, in the mean time,
of adding to the power he had already acquired, and
partly by force, partly by artifice, had made himfelf
matter of feveral catties in the Vales of Arno and
Nievole : from whence he proceeded to lay ficgc to
Monte Catini, where the Florentines refolved to ufc.
their utmoft endeavours to flop his career, and ex-
dnguiih a flame that otherwifc might poffibly devour
their whole country. For this purpofe, having raifed
à very powerful army, they marched into the Vale
rf Nievole, where they gave battle to Uguccione,
and were utterly defeated, after a bloody engagement,
in which they loft above two thoufand men, befides
their General Peter, the King's brother, whofc body
could never be found. The vidory, however, was
not attended with any great rejoicings on the fide of
Uguccione, as one of his fons, and many other oSà^
Cers of diftinSion, were killed in it.

After this overthrow, the Florentines immediately
began to fortify the towns round about them, and

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120 T H E. H I: S TO R Y Bc^pH IL

applied tp King^ Robert for another Ge,ncn\\ upon
which, Ke fent them the Count di Andri^,. com-
rhoply^ callc4 Count Novello, whofp l?ad conduit»
add^d to the inipatient temper of thfi FlpriCntin'cs
(wlììch is foon tired of ajiy form pf govcrnn[iei)t, apd
ready to fall into faftions upon every accident J, occjj-
fioned the city to divide again,, nptvyithftauding tbq
war t^hey were engagqd in with tJggpdongi andfop^p,
declared for king Robert, and fpmq' againii him,
'The chief of his^ enemies were Sinv)ne cjella Tqfa,
tnc Magalloti, an^d fonie other popuUr f^fiiilies wjio,
had the*greateft power ia the gpv.qrnmcfl^ Thf^c
perfons urnt firft into France, and jthjq, into Gcr-
rfiany, to raife men and invito officers', in order tq^
rid tnemfelves of their qew Governor; but unioiv
tbnàtcly they could nop procure cithc;r. As howi.
ever they, w^re determined to carry t|ieir ppint»
and as neither Germany nor Fr^^i^Qe, wpuld fup^fy-
them with a Governor, they choff oq^ from, thi^,
neTghl30urhood ; and haying taXen arm$ and, drqye.
tlic Count out, of the city, ' they fe^t for one Lapdiqj
of Agobio, and/made him their E{r$;qutore, pr,,raf;,
P^èir Executioner^ with fujl power over. aU.thcjQix,
mens. I^ando, being naturally cruql and rajjaclous,.
Vreiit about the city with a gang of arnjecj men atl^i^
Keels, hanging up firfl òqe man and then anotKer^ ayj
tTiofe Ihat had fent for him gave hini dire<^ÌQPS, aqdj
at lad grew fo irifqlent^ that he coine4 bad ippn^. withj
flic Florejitine flamp, which no bqdy had. qquragCj
enough to oppofe : tó'fuch a height of power, had^^
arrived by th^ difTcnfioh of th^ citizens! Mjicr^^bljfj
indeed, and npuch, to be lamented wa^ the conditfon,
of thè city at that time, which neither the.blttef r^,
n^embranc;e of the evil$' produced by their forpierdi*,
vifions, nor the drpad of a foreign, enemy a^ tl^^^^
gates, nor the authority of a King, was fufficic^t-tOj
keep un,ited ; though their poffefTions were at the fa^
time daily ravaged and plundered, abroad by, tlg^^
cipne^ and at home by^ Landò.

The

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Bogk II; O F F L O Ri E N C E. ui

The Nobifiq^, nioft of the confidcrapblc Commoners^
ami J^U tbi5 Q*jdph$^. took theKing'sifidis, and; hated
Landò and tl^pfe that fiippof ted hina : but as theic
cxieoiies had t.be' power in thein hands, they could
not declare thetnfclves publickljr without extrenac
dangjsr. However, irhat they might not fcenn v^ant-
i(>g in a«y cndeavoqr<s ta free thrmfelves from fo igi
npminioqs, a yoke» they wrote privately to King Ro*
bert, an4 entreated him to appoint Count Guido da
^Uttiifolte his Lieutenant at Florence, which he rea*
dily cofiiplicd with.: and the other party (though
they had the Signiory on their fide) durft not venture*
tp Qpppfe a noan of fo. eftablilhcd*a reputation* But
thp Coiint fpon found he had very little authority in-
th^ city, as th^ Magiftracy and the Gonfaloniers- of*
the fcyqral companies- openly fawjured Landò and his
frknds.

During thcfe troubles in Florence, the daughter of-
Mh^fU King, of Bohemia, paflcd through that city'
(tpmeqther hu(band Charles, the fon of King Ro-
l|fn) whercj (he was received by- the King's frie-nds^
^ith- great, honour.;, and» upon their coniplainjs.of^
the mifera^t condition of the city, and the tyràntìyJ
of.L^ndo and. his. party, (he ufcd her good offices fo*
eflfeftually, a^id obtained them, fo many grants and'
f^voyrs from the King before fhe left them, that the^
Qiti^cnsiwereat laft* reconciled and j re- united, Landò
cjeprivjed' of his authority, and fcnt back again to».
Àgob|)io^, latiatcd with blood> and rapine^ After his'
d^aictpre, there. enfupd another reform in the State,
1^, which, the government of the city wa« continued^
to ti^ King' for three years longer : and as the feven*
tfeat' were. then in tl\e Signiory were all of Lando's*
party, fix. others were added to then> of the King'6«
^wi tbey continued thirteen for fqme. time; but were
aftrtsrordsirjcduceditofeven again, their former num-
fecn About tbb( time, Uguccionewa? driven out oft
* li.UQCavafid' Rifa, and:fuccccde(d in the government ofi
t|)Q&twp cities by CaftruceiaGaftracani, a. Lucchelet'
who> b,eing;a;f|Hrit»dtyovrn^ orna an^ fortunate ip- aW

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1^2 THE HISTORY Book IL

his undertakings, very foon became the head of the
Ghit^lihe faction in Tufcany. The Florentines there-
fore laying afide their private difcords, were chiefly'
employed for fcveral years in endeavouring to ob-
ftruft the growth of Caftruccio's power ; and after-
wards, when they found that to no purpofe, in taking
proper meafures to defend themfclves againft him.
And that the Signiory might proceed with' maturer
deliberation, and execute with greater autliority, they
chofc twelve Citizens whom they called Buonhuomini,
witliout whofe advice and confent, the Signiory were
not to pafs any acb of importance.

Itì the mean time the dominion of king Robert
expired, and the government once more reverted to
the Citizens, who again fet up the fame form of ma-
giftrajcy that had been fortnerly inftitufed, and conti-
nued united whilft they were in fo much fear of Ca-
ftriiccio; who, after many entcrprizes againft the Go-
vernors of Lunigiana, at la(t fat down before Prato.-
The Florentines alarmed at this news, refolved to re-
lieve it, and for that purpofe, having fliut up their
fhops, they marched towards that place with twenty
tboufand foot, and fifteen hundred horfe, but in a
tumultuous and diforderly manner. And to Icflen
the force of Caftruccio and add to their own, a Pro-
clamation was iffued by the Signiory^ that every cxfle
of the Guelph party, who came in to the relief of
Prato, Ihould afterwards have liberty to return home :
which had fo good an effeft, that they were joined
by above four thoufand of them, and their army be*
esame fo formidable by this reinforcement that they
marched with all expedition to Prato. But Caftruccio
being afraid of fo great a force, and not caring to
run the hazard of a battle^ retreated to Lucca.
, Upon this retreat, there arofe great difputes in the
camp of the Florentines, betwixt the Nobility and the
people. The people would have purfued him and
forced him to an engagement, in hopes that a viétory
would have totally ruined him : but the Nobility
bought it more prudent to return y alledging, they

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Book IL OF FLORENCE. 123

had already fufficicntjy cxpofcd their own city for tbc
relief of Prato, which in fuch a cafe of ncccflSty wis
unavoidable : but, now there was no manner of occa->
fion, little to be gained, and much to be loft, it
would be madncfs to tempt fortune. After long dc-

^ bates, without coming to any refolution, the matter
was referred to the Signiory, which, confifting of

, Commoners as well as Nobility, fell into the fame dif*
ference of opinions : and this coming to be known in
the city, a vaft number of the people aiTembled in
the Piazza, and threatened the Nobility to fuch a de«
gree that they were terrified and gave way to then^«
But as it was fo late before they came to fuch a refd*
lution, and even then againft the inclination of many,
the enemy had fufficient time to retire in fafety to
Lucca : at which the people were fo exafperated
againft the Nobility, that the Signiory refufed to per-?
form the promife they had made, by their delire, to
the exiles that came in upon the proclamation. The
exiles hearing of this, rcfolved on their part to force
their way into the city if poflible, and accordingly
prcfented themfelve^ at the gates, to be admitted be<
fore the reft of the army came up : but this attempt
being forefeen and expcded, did not fucceed, for they
were driven back again by thofe that were left in the
town. They endeavoured therefore to obtain by
treaty what they could not by force, and fent eight
deputies to remind the Signiory of their promife, and
the dangers they had cxpofed themfelves to in con-
fequence of it, and that they relied upon their good
faith for the ftipulated recompence of their fervices.
The Nobility, therefore, having joined in that pro-
mife with the Signiory, and given their word that
they would fee ic performed, thought themfelves ob-
liged in honour to ufe all their intereft in favour of
the exiles, which they did : but the Commons being
enraged that the enterprize againft Caftruccio had QOt
been profecuted as they thought it ought to have
been, would not concur with them ; which afterwards
l>rought not only great difgrace, but alfo much trou-
ble

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1.245 T H E H I S T Q R Y Book II.

We upon thè city. For many of che Nobility bein^
cttgufted at this denial, refolved to have recourfe ta-
orficp expediifnts^ aind promiftd the Guclph.s that if
they wouW appear in artm before the city,, they wooW
alfe) rarfo an intirreftion within it to afliif them. Bor
this defign being difcovcrcd the day before it was; to
have been piic ia execution, when the exiles came u-p^
they found the Citizens ready armed, and in fysdi cr*
der, not enly to repel them, but to fapprefs auy rif*
ing within the walk> that no body durft offèrta move :
fe that they gave up the enterprize and drew off agami
wttboot mdciog any further effort at that time. Af-
t«r «heirvdcpactiuBe^ it was, thougiit fie that thofe per-
IpfisnfhcMJldi be puniihed who had invited thera thi-
ther : ncvemhelefs, though every one ktrew who. the*
driinqtfients. were^ yet no body durft fo much as point!
rfiem out, much lefs accufe them. But that the truth*
BWght be told without referve, it was ordered; thacc
mif members of the general council ihould be allowed
to^wriDedown their names upon a piece of paper and»
(Jeliver it privately to the Captain of the people: whicto
feeing done, the perfons accufed were, Ameritìjo Do-
nati, Tegghiaio Fnefcobaldi, and Lotteringo> Gherar-^
dinu whoie jiidgcs being more favourable than per*
haps their crimes defer ved, they were only fined ar
<?crtain fufn of mX)ney and difcharged.

From the tumults which happened in Fksrence up-
cm the approach of the exiles, it plainly appeared,
that one Captain only in every Company of the peo-
ple was. not fufijcient : it vas ordered therefore, thav
each Company for the future fhouid have three op
four, and than every Gonfalonier fhouid have two or
three other Enfigns undenhim called Pen nonn ieri, that fo
upon any. emergency^ when the whale Company could
n©t be drawn out; fomc paro of it might be employed
lender one of thofe ofifcers. And as it generally hap-
pcfiSikiiall commonwealths, that after any revoJution*
or remarkable crtfis^ fome or other of the old laws
are abrogated and new ones made in their room ; fo
though the Signiory at firft was changed every two»

months.

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Riok IL O F F L O R E N C E. 12 j

months, yet the magiftrates that wene then in olGce^
having great power, took upon themfèives to conft'M
tute a Signory out of ^11 the moft confiderabk Citizens;
to contintic forty months, whofe names were to be
put into a Bag or Purfe, and a certain number of
them drawn out by lot at the end* of every fe<iond
month. This method of eledion at firft was called
Imborfatione and afterwards Squittino. But^ as many
of the citizens began to fufpeét theif names were not
m the Purfe, there was a fre(h Imborfation before the
forty months expired. From henee arofe the life of
the Purfe in creating all their Magiftrates both at homd
and abroad, whicn continued for a confiderable time i
whereas before, when the old Magiftrates went out of
office» new ones were always chofen by the council.
And as this was not to be renewed till after a term of
above three years, it was thought riiey had in h great
oieafure cxtinguilhed the caufes of all fuch difgufti
and tumults as ufrd to happen from the frequent re*
turn of Eleftbns and the number of Competitors for
the Magjftracy : fucb was the remedy which for warif
of a better, they were forced to provide againft thofè
evils, not being aware how little advantage and how
many mifchicfs were likely to flow from it.

In the year 13^5, Caftruccio having feized uport
Piftoia, was become fo formidable, that the FJoren*
tines begianii^ toftand in great awe of him, refolved
to attack him before he had eftabtiOied hiri^'clf iti
his new docnimon, and if poffible, to wreft it out of
his bands agian. In confcquence of which, they af-
fembled twenty thouiand foot and three thoufand
horfe (moft of whom were Florentines and the reft
allies) and oacamped before Alto Palerò 5 by the re*
du^KMii of which, they hoped to prevent any relief
from bring thrown into Piftoia, Ifl this emerprtóe
they facceedcd,^ m^ from thence advanced towaMft
Lucca,, fpoiling and ravaging the whole country:
but by the ill conduci ainé treachery of Rartìotfdo da
Cardona,. thek commander in chief, they rkaped but
kitk advantage from this progre£i« For as he faw

the

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116 T H E HISTORY Book IL'

the Florentines had been (o liberal in difpofing of
thcmfelves, that they had fometimes conferred their
government upon Kings, fometimes upon Legates,
and fometimes upon perfons of much inferior quality,
he thought if he could reduce them to any extre-
mity, they perhaps would make him their Prince. .
For this purpofe, he was very importunate with them
to give him the fame command in the city that he had
over their army ; as he pretended he could not other-
wife cither require or exped that neceffary obedience
which was due to a General. But finding the Flo-
rentines did not care to comply with this demand,
hetrifled away his time in doing nothing, whilft Ca-
ftruccio omitted no opportunity of taking the advan-
tage that his indolence afforded him. For theJatter
having reinforced himfclf with fupplies from the Vif-
conti and other Princes of Lombardy, Ramondo,
who before might have gained a vidory, if he had
not betrayed his mafters, now behaved in fo un-
foldier like a manner that he could not even make his
efcape from the enemy ; but whilft he was retreating
from them by very fhort and flow marches, he was
overtaken and attacked by Caftruccio near Alto
Pafcio, where, after an obftinate engagement, in
which his forces were utterly routed, and great num-
bers of the Citizens either killed or taken prifoners,
he himfelf alfo loft his life, receiving that punifli-
ment from the hands of fortune, which his perfidy
and ambition had merited from the Florentines.

The havock which Caftruccio made in the territo-
ries of Florence after this vidtory, the depredations,
imprifonments, burnings, and every other kind of
devaftaiion, are not to be deferì bed : for as he had
nobody to make head againft him for fcveral months,
he over-ran the whole country, and did what he
plèafed, whilft the Florentines thought it no fmall
matter to fave their city after fuch a defeat. Ne^
vcrthelcfs, they were not reduced to fo low an ebb,
but they raifed large fums of money, . afiembled
forces, and fcnt to their allies for afliftaoce : but no

pro-
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Book IK O F F L O R E N C E. 127

provifions were fufficient to flop the progrefs of fuch
an enemy. They were forced therefore, ;o make an
offer of their government to Charles Duke of Cala-
bria and ion to King Robert, upon condition that he
would undertake to defend them ; for as that family
had been ufcd to rule over them, ihey chofe rather to
.Ihclter themfclves under him as their Prince, than
to truft to him as an ally. But Charles himfelf being
engaged in the wars of Sicily, fent Gualcier (a French-
man, and Duke of Athens) as his Lieutenant, to
take poffcflìon of the government, who new modelled
the Magtflracy as he thought fit. His behaviour^
however, was fo modeft and temperate, and fo con*
trary to his true natural difpofition, (as (ball be (hewn
hereafter) that he gained the affeftions of every one.

After the wars in Sicily were over, Charles came
in perfon to Florence, with a thoufand horfe, and
made his entry in July 1326. His arrival gave fome
check to Caftruccio, and prevented him from roving
about the country and plundering it without controul»
as he had done before. But, if the citizens faved
any thing abroad, it was loft again athpme; and
when their enemies were thus curbed, they became a
prey to the infolcnce and qppreffion of their friends :
for as the Signiory were entirely under the influence
of the Duke, he exaftcd four hundred thoufand flo-
rins from the city in the fpace of one year, though it
.was exprefsly (lipulated in the agreement made whh
him, that he (hould not raife above two hundred
thoufand in the whole : befides which, either Charles,
or his Father, were continually laying fome heavy ux
or other upon the Citizens.

Thefe miferics were ftill increafed by new jealoufies
and frefh enemies. For the Ghibelincs of Lombardy
were fo alarmed at the arrival of Charles in Tufcany,
that Galeazzo Vifconti, and other Princes of that pro-
vince, by dint of money and fair promifes, prevailed up-
on Lewis of Bavaria, (who hac^ been eleded Emperor,
contrary to the Pope's inclination) to march into Italy
with an army,' In confequence of which, he came
. into

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« 2« T H E H I 6 T O R Y Book if.

into fciombardy, ahd from thence advancing into
Tiifeany, tììadc hitiriclf teatfter of Prft, by the affifl>
ance of Caiftpuedò ; fend having received a confiderà
able fopt)ly of motity^ he marched on toWàikJs Kctofr.
Jj'pon which, Charlies began to thfinfk the kingdoni
bf Naples in nò itnall danger ; and leaving Philippò
Saginetto his Lieotenant at Florehce, be i-etiitned thi-
ther in aft haftc with 'the forces that he had brouglhk
srtong with him- After his departure, Caftruccid
fcizcd upon Pifa, and the Florentines having got por*»
feffioh of Piftofia by treaty, he marched iitimediatdf
CO recover it, and carried 'oft ^ht fiege with fo mtich
vigour and refolution, t^iat though the Florentirtei
faiade many attempts to relieve 'it, fortretinies by at-
tacking his army, fomettme^ by making incvjrfloni
into his other territories, yet, all thcfir endeavours
were incffcAual : forfo firmly determined was he to
ichaftife Piftoia, and keep the Florentines under, that
the Piftotans were forced to furrender and receive hi ni
once more for their Lord ; by which he acquired great
reputation ; but foon after fell Ikk and died in thè
faiidft of his vidories, as be was returning to Lucca.
And as it generally happens, that either fortunate ot
unfortunate accidents are attended by others of thè
fame kind, Charles, Duke of Calabria, and Lord of
Florence, died at Naples much about the fame time.
So that the Florentines were fuddenly and unexpeét-
tdly delivered from the oppreffion of one, and the
(dread of thè other ; and having once more recovéreti
their liberty, began to reform the commonwealth
again, abrogating the Laws and Ordinances of all
former councils, and creating two new onòi tn thèii'
roortì, one of which cobfifteà of three hundttd of
the Commons, thè other of two hundred and fifty^
of both Commoner and Nobility > the fortnei* "wai
called the Councii cf the Peùpkj the latter, the Gcmmàk
Council.

The Emperor, upon his arrival at Rortit, fet iJ^

an Antipope, did many things to the prejudice of thè

Church, atid attempted feveral others, which he #a4

1 ^^ noe

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3fc)t)kll. OF -Fi Oft EN CE. J^

Àot able to effea ^ : upon which, he left Rome with
"ho Kttle di(honour, and went to Fifa, where eight
huridfcd German -horfé, either for 'want of pay, or
becaufe they were diffarisfficd with' his cpndudV, imme-
diately mutinied and fortified' thcmftlvei àt Monte-
chiaro upon! thfe CfeWJgUo. Thèfe forces; after he vtps
^^6nfc from Pifa, towards' Lombardy; made thertifelyeSj
■ roaftersof -Lu<fca, and drove out Francifco Ctórrf-
tkni, whom the Emperor had depiSted to govern Ft';
•and being defirous to make the beft of it, they of-
fered it to thè Florentines for twenty thoufànd florins,
-^fiÌG?h they refufed to give, by the ddvice of Simone
della Tofa. Happy bad it bieen for their city, if thfe
Florentines had perfevered in that refolution ; but ^5
they foon after changed their mind, it was of very
great prejudice to them 5 for though they refufed it
when they might have had the peaceable pofleffion of
•k at fo cheap a i-afe, they were afterwards obliged'to
-pay a much larger Turn for it, and could hdt keep it
^hen they had done ; which gave ^eeafiori to rtiany
fubiequent diftirbances aiid changes of government
in Florencei : - ^

The purchafe of Lucca being thus rejetìed hy the
^Florentines, it was bought by Gherardino Spinoli, a

• The Pope had excommunicated him in 13*8, and declared bin»
to have forfeited the empire Lewis, on the other hand, employefl
fcyeral pens to write againft the Pope, whom he itiled James of Ca»
hors. And not contenting himfelt with this, he entered ItsQy the
^cxt year, and iet up a certain Frandfcaii, called Pietro Ramucdò
^de Corberia, as Antipope, by the name of Nicholas V. who cii;awpe(l
"JLewis, and declared John XXII. an Heretic^ and that he h^d for-
feited the Papacy. This violent manner of proceeding offended thf:
-Emperor's friends to fuch a degree, that they deierted him^ Kb that
'he afterwards defired to be reconciled to BenediiSl XII. in 1336, an4
][to Clement VL in 1344/. But being unwilling to fubmit to the con-
editions that were offered him, viz. That lie fliould furrender the em-
]pire and all his eftates to the Church, and hold them only. at the
good will of the Pope, he was declared ** obHinate and contuma-
cious/* And at the follicitation of Clement VI. and Philip of.Va-
lois. King of France, (whom Lewis had provoked, by fid ing with
^'Edward III. King of England againft him) the Electors chofe in hi»
Toom, Charles of Luxembourg, who was^ the fourth Emperor of that
name. This was in 1346.^ Lewis died the next year of poi fon, or
as others fay, by a fall from hishorfe, atthiage of'^fixty -three, B»ov.
*Annal. ■

Vol. I. K Gc*

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a^ THE HISTORY Book A

X2cfiioeie» for thirty tboufand Florins. Byt ats it Is
t(be nature of maakind to be cool and indifFereiK about
iiicb things as are profficred themt ^nd eager in their
: defires to obtain what is difficulty or out of their
reach ; fo when the Florentines heard that city was
4bld for fuch a trifle, the^ were exceedingly diflatisfied
.(hat they had it not themfelves, ^and angry at th[0fe
yrho had diifuaded them from buying ft : however»
its it was now too late, they reiblved to take i^ bf
jfbrce s and for that purpofe, fent their army to «nake
an incurfion into the territories of the Lucchefe^ Ifi
•the mean tUne« the Emperor had quitted Italy ; and
^e AntipopC) by order of the Pifans, was fent pri-
soner into France*

After the death of Cailniccio, which happened in
the year 1328, the Florentines continued quiet at
liome, till 1340, and intent only upon their affairs
4ibroad : during which time, they were engaged in
leverai wars^ efpecialiy in Lombardy, upon the com-
ing of Jo^n, King of Bohemia ^^ into that province ;
i^nd in Tuicany, on the account of Lucca. They
likewife raifcd feveral new and beautiful ediEces in
4heir city, particularly the Tower of St. ^eparata^
after a plan given them by Giotto f, the moft cel^-

, • He was a Prince of great courage» and diftinguifhedblmielf a»
'fuch in thcfe wars, before which he had taken upon himfelf the title
of King of Poland, and waged war agalnft the poffeflbr of the crowa
t^re. He loft one of his eyes in battle, and goinjg to Mont-
pel ier to try if he coald fi^d any relief from the phyfrcians there, a
• Je-wifli Do^or, whom he employed, treated him in fo unflcilful a
manner, that heclepritediiim ot the other. Upon this occafion, the
"King of Poland, as it is reported, fent him word, that hedefired they
two only might decide their quarrels in a private room» with each a
iKmyard in his hand. But King John returned for an^irer, <• that
%e muft firft pull out both his eyes to make the duel éqtxal/* Hit
blindnefs did, not prevent him from going to war "r ^ribn. He
went into France with fuccours to the aid of Philip of Valois, and was
^ot only prefent, but fought bravely at the battle of Crefly, whid^
Che French loft, Auguft «6, 1 34.6. He cauied his horfe to be faftened
by the bridle to one of the beft horiemen he had, and then ru(bed
furiouHy into the thick of the enemy, fword in hand» where he wat
mt laft killed, as might be well expe^ed. Charles IV. his fon. King
of Bohemia and Emperor, gives a fuller account of all thefe things ia
the Memoirs of his fatherVLife.

f This Giotto was (cbobr to Ciambue, and bom near Florence^
In the year la?^* He was a good Sculptor and Archite^» as well a»

a bet.

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éoolc il. O F ' F L O R E N e E. ì^r

bratéd painter a'nà architcft of thofe times :, and m
the yckr 1333, ^ftet an inundation of tKe Arno, in
iRrhich the water rofc twelve yards perpendicular m'
fomè parts of FloVeticc, carried away fcvcral brido;6à,
and defnoliftied tìiàny houfcs, they repaired all wita
great diligence anc( expence. But in the year 1340,
new diHurbances arofe.

Tlie governors of the City had two ways of main-
taining and incrcafing their authority. One was, by
managing the Imborfations in foch a manner, as al-
ways to fecure the Signiory either to themfelves or
their creatures-, the other, % getting Rettori, òr
Judges chofen, who they knew would be favourable
to them in their fentences and determinations. The
latter of which expedients, they thought of fuch inn-
portance, that, not concent with two Judges, as they
had been formerly, they fometimes conftituted a third»
whom they called Captain of the Guards ; with which
office, they had now veiled Jacomo Gabrieli d'Agob-
bio, and given him an abfolute power over the Ci-
tizens. This Jacomo^ under the direftion of the go-
vernors, behaved with the moft fhamelefs infolence
and partiality, daily injuring or affronting fome body
or other, particularly Pietro de Bardi, and Bardo Frèf-
cobaldi ; who being nobly born, and pien of high
ipirit, were provoked to fuch a degree, that a ftràn-
ger (hould be introduced ipto the city by a few of
their fellow-citizens that had the power in their
hands, on purpofe to infult and abufe all the reft,
that they entered into a confpiracy with many other
noble families, and fome of the Commoners, that
were difgufted at fo tyrannical a government, to re-
venge themfelves, both upon him and thofe that had

a better Painter, than his Mafter: for he began to fbake off theiliflT-
netk of the Greek manner, endeavouring ta give a- freer arr to HUr
Ikads, with more of nature in his colouring, and eafier attitudes to
hw.figures. His beft piece is ftill in one of the Churches at Florence,
TCprefenting the Death of the Virgin Mary, with the Apoftles round
about her. The attitudes of whiph Story, Michael Angelo ufedto
hy, could not be better deligned. See Frcfnoy'» An pf Paàntij;^,

K a beea

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132 THE HISTORY Book H.

been thei ticcafion of bis coming thithen For this
piirpofe» it was agreed amongfl: the confpirators, that
every one of them ftiould get together as many armed
men as he could in his houfe % and that on the morn-
ing after the Feftival of All Saints, when the people
were gone to Church to pray for the fouls ot their

' departed friends -f , they (hould take up arms, kill
the Captain and principal Governors, and make new

;laws and magiftrates to reform the State. But as it
generally happens, that wheo defperate refolutioos

..cottie to be maturely confidercd, many dangers and
impediments occur, which damp the ardour of the
Confpirators ; fo plots that are not fpeedily executed,
are for the moft part unfucccfsful, as this was. For
Andrea de Bardi, one of the accomplices, weighing
the matter coolly, and being more effeftually moveid
by the terror of punifliment than the defirc of re-
venge, difcovcred the whole to his kinfman Jacomp
Alberti, who immediately communicated it to the
Magiftracy. And as the day appointed for their
rifiiig was very near at hand, many of the Citizens
alFembled iii the Palace ; and judging it dangerous
to wait any longer, they advifed the Signiory to have
the Alarm-Bell rung, and the Companies called to-
gether. Taldo Valori was chief Gonfalonier at that
time, and Francifco Salviati one of the Signiory :
and as they were allied to the Bardi, they oppofed
that meafure, and faid it would be a dangerous
thing to arm the people upon every trifling acci-
dent, bccaufe it was never known that power given
to the multitude, without fufHcient authority to re-
ftrain them, had produced any good effcft j and that
it was a much eafier matter to raife a tumult than to
compofe one : they thought it would be more pru-
dent, therefore, to enquire into the truth of the
matter, and if they found fufHcient reafoo, to punilh

t This event therefore happened on the id of November, 1340,
vih\tìì is commonly called All Souls Dajr, as the RomiA Church fcts
• It apart in ^omffumdrationem omnium fuieltum defunSotum^ of, ** Prayen
for all thofe that have departed this life in the truefaith.^

the

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Book IL OF F L O R E N C E. 133'

the offenders by due courfe of law, than to run tu-
mulcuoufly into arms, only upon a bare report, and
proceed in fuch a manner, as perhaps might be the
utter ruin of their city. But thefe arguments were
all to no purpofe : for the Signiory w^re fo threats
ened and infulted by the other Citizens, that they
were forced tocaufe the Bell to be rung ; at the {bund
of which, all the people took arms and ran direAly
to the Piazza before the Palace. On thè other hand»
the Bardi and Frefcobaldi, perceiving they were be-
trayed, and being refolved either to conquer or die
honourably, likewift took arms, in hopes that they
(hould be able to defend themfclves in that part of
the City, which lies on the other fide of the River,
where moft of their houfes flood. For which pur-
pofe, they fortified the Bridges over it, and there
made head againfi: the enemy, in expedation that
many of the Nobility and others of their friends
would come out of the Country to their afliftance.
But this was prevented, by the people that lived in
the fame part of the city with them, who took up
arms for the Signiory : fo that when they found they
were likely to be attacked by them alfo, they aban-
doned the Bridges, and retired into the ftrect where
the Bardi lived, as ftronger than any of the reft, and
there made a brave defence.

• In the mean time, Jacomo d*Agobbio, well know«-
ing this Cònfpiracy was chiefiy bent again(t him,
thought his life in great danger, and was frighted to
fuch a degree, that he ran trembling to fecure him-
felf in the midft of the armed men who were af-
lemblcd before the Palace of the Signiory : but the
other Judges who had not been guilty of the fame
iiijuftice and opprefljon, were more courageous,
éfpccially Maffeo da Maradi, the Po'deftà, who ran to
the place where they were fighting, and pafling the
Bridge Rubaconte, undauntedly threw himfelf into
the thickeft of the fkirmilb, and made a fign for a
Parley. Upon which, out of reverence to his Perfon,
his courage, and many other good qualities, they laid

K 3 down

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fj^ T H E H I S T O R y Book IL

down their arips, and ftood patiently to hear hirp^
xi^hilfE in a modeO: and pathetic harangue, h<t blamed
the Bardi for their manner of proceeding, Ihewtd
them the danger they were in from the fury of the
people if they did not defifl:. gave them hopes thap
their caufe fhould be favourably heard, and promifed
that he'himfelf would not only intercede for their
pkr^pn, but fee that they fhould have all reafonable
fitisfaótion and redrefs for their grievances: after
whipH he went to the Signiory and exhorted them
hot to attempt a Viiftory, in which fo many of their
fellow-citizens muft inevitably perifh, nor to pafs any
fcntence upon them unheard. In fhort, his medi-
ation had fuch an effeét, that the Bardi and FrefcOr
baldi, with many of their friends^ being allowed by
jhc Signiory to leave the city, retired to their caftles.
in the Country without any impediment or molcf-
ICation*

After they were gone and. the people difarmed, the

Signiory proceeded againft fuch only of the Families

of the Bardi and Frefcobaldi as had aftually been in

arms : and to leflcn their power, they bought the

Caftles of Mangona and Vernia of the Bardi, and

made a law that no Citizen for the future fhould pof*

i'^fs any Cattle v^ithin twe'nty miles of Florence. Not

many months after, Stiatta FrcfcobaldJ was beheaded,

hers of that family proclaimed Rebels.

did not fufHciently fatiate the revenge

J adminiftration, to have conquered and

)fe families : but, like almoft all other

ifolence commonly increafes with their

grew more imperious and arbitrary as

inger: for though they had only one

p Quards to tyrannize over the city bc^

w' appointed another, to refide in the

veiled him with very great authority : fo

«^ ho was ifi the leaft obnoxious to the

could nop live quietly either within the

It it. The Nobility in particular were

ind iftfulted by thf np| in fi^ch a manner^

■ . .'* ■ '*' " " that

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^kn. OF rLORENCE. 1^5

tìtat they only waited for an opportunity to revenge
themfelres at any rate : and as one foon after hap^
pened, they did not fail to take the advantage of it.

During the many troubles that had happened in
Tufèany and Lombardy, the city of Lucca was fallen
under the Dominion of Maftino ddl Scala Lord of
Verona, who, though he was under an engagement
to give it up' to the Florentines, did not think fit ta
perform it : for as he was alfo Lord of Parma, and'
imagined he was ftrong enough to maintain hitiifelf in
poifellion, he made little account of that promifew
The Florentines, to revenge this breach of faith,,
joined the Venetians, and made fo vigorous a war up*-
on him, that he was in great danger of lofing* all his
territories : but they got little by it in the end, ex*
cept the fatisfaftion of having diftreflcd their enemy;
For the Venetians, according to the cuftorti of all
States that enter into any league or alliance with
others, that are weaker than themfelves, having
feized upon Trevigi and Vicenza, made a feparate
peace, without any regard to the intereft of their Con*
fcdfirates. Soon after, the Vifconti, Lords of Milàn^
took ÌParma from Maftino, who finding himfelf no
longer able to keep Lucca after fuch a diminution
of his ftrengih, rcfolvcd to fell it. The Florentines
and Pifans were competitors in the purchafe ; but
whilft they were bartering for iti the Pifans feeing
they fhould be out-bid, as they were not fo rich as
the others, had recourfe to arms, and, joining with
the Vifconti, laid fiege to the town. The Florentines,
however, were not at all difcouraged at this, but pro-
ceeded in their bargain, and having agreed upon the
. price, paid down part of the money to Maftino, and
gave him Hoftages for the reft : in confequence of
whichi Naddo Ruccllai, Giovanni Bernardino de Me*
dici; and Rofib the fon of Ricciardo de Ricci, were
fent to take pofleffion ; who forcing their way into
the town through the Pifan Camp, were received by
Mattino, and had it delivered into their hands. The
Pi&ns, ncverthelefe, continued the fiege, and endea*

K 4 voured

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%ì^ THE H.isTOrRr Book If/

Vouned by. all poffible means to nmkc thcmfclvc» ina(V
tcrs of the place : and the Florentines, on the .other,
hand, were no lefs follicitous- to relieve it : but after
a long ftruggle they were at laft driven out of it, with
ipuch diflionour and the. lofs of all their purehafe-f
iTJoney. . TJiis difafter (as it ufually happens in th?
like cafes) threw the people of Florence into fuch a
i:age againft their Governors, that they pqblickly ii^*
ipltcd and upbraided them with their ill conduft aa4
adminiftration, in all places and upon every oppor-
tunity.

In the beginning of the war, the management of it
had been committed to twenty Citizens, who ap-
pointed Malatefta da Rimini Commander in Chief
of their forces in that Expedition : but as he executed
that charge with little courage and lefs difcretion, they
follicited Robert, King of Naples, forfupplics; which
|ie accordingly fept (hem under the command of Guai-
tier, Duke of Athens, who, as the evil deftiny of the
Èity would have it, arrived there juft at the titne when
Itbe eriterprize againft Lucca had mifcarricd. Upon
his coming, the twenty fuperintendants of the war,
feeing the people enraged to the higheft degree,
thought either to footh them with freih hopes, and
take away all further occafion of obloquy, or to
bridle them efFeftually by chufing a new General:
ind as they were dill in great fear of the multitude,
they firft made the Duke of Athens Confervator of
jthe Peace, and then their Commander in Chief, that
he might have both authority and power fufficient to
defend them. But as many of the Nobility had been
formerly acquainted with Gualtier (when be was Go-
vernor of Florence, for Charles, Duke of Calabria)
fnd were ftill highly difcontented for the reafons
^boye-mcntipned, they refolvcd, now they had fo
fair an opportunity, to take their revenge^ even
^hopgh it (hould occafion the deftruf^ipn of the city |
jhiaginipg there was no other way left to get the
J^etter of fbe people, who had fo long domineered
pygr thcitó, t)Ut t9 reduce fhcip into fubjeftion to i^

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Book It ÒJ^ FLORENCE. i^f

Prince» who being well acquainted with the worth
and generofity of the Nobility and the infolcnce of the
Commons, might treat both parties according to
their dcfcrts : befides which confiderations, they prc-
fumed he would fhew them no little favour, if he
fliould obtain the fupreme Government of the city,
chiefly by their affiftance and co-operation. To fa-
cilitate thcfe dcfigns, they had many private meetings,
at which they earneftly perfuaded him to take the
government wholly into his hands, and promifed
to fupport him with all their intereft and power.
Several of the mod confiderable Commoners likewiie
joined them, particularly the families of the Peruzzi,
Acciaiuoli, Antellefi, and Buonaccorfi, who had con-
traded great debts, and not being able to pay them
out of their own eftates, were deGrous of getting
thofe of other people into their hands ; and to free
themfelves from the importunity of their Creditors,
Were ready to enflave their Country. Such encou^
ragement and fo fair an opportunity, inflamed the
Duke, who was naturally ambitious, with a ftiU
greater thirft of power : and to ingratiate himfelf with
the lower fort of the people by a^ing like a jufl: and
upright Magiftrate, he ordered a procefs to be com-
menced againfl: thofe that had been entrufted with
the management of the late war againfl: the Lucchefe:
in confequence of which, Giovanni de Medici, Naddo
^ucellai, and Guglielmo Altoviti were put to death,
and feveral others baniflied, and many obliged to pay
large fumsof money for their pardon. This feverc
Inanner of proceeding alarmed the middle fort of
Citizens^ though it was very grateful to the Nol^lity
and common people, as the latter generally take
pleafure in executions, apd the former were not a
jittle rejoiced at the fall of thofe by whom they had
been fo gricvoufly opprefled. So that whenever the
Duke p^flcd through the ftreets, they refounded with
acclamations and praifcs c^ his juftice and refolutioot
Whilft every one exhorted bina to perfevere in his en-
deavours

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13^ T » E H I 9 T O It t^ Brofe IT.

deai^oursto dcteéb the guilty and bring them tocoiidigil'
puailhmcnt.

Upon dvis change, tht^«uthority of the Twenty be-
gan to decline, and the awe and reputation of the
©ùke to increafe fo feft, that every Citizen, to (hew*
himrelf well aflFetìred to him, had the Neapolitan
ztms painted over his door^ nor was any thing
wanting but the mere title, to make him a Prince.
And being now ftrong enough, as he imagined, ta
' attenipt any thing with fecurity, he gave the Signiory
to underftand* ** That he thought it neccflary for the
good of the city, that the fupreme power Ihould be
vetted in him ; and therefore, as it was a thing agree-
able to ail the reft of the Citizens, he required them
f^ refign their authority.**

The Signiory, notwithftanding they had long fore-
fcen the ruin of their city, were not a little embar-
fa0kl at this demand ; and though they were fenfible
ctf the danger they were in, yet that they might not
fcem wanting in any a6l of duty to their country, they
boldly refufed to comply with it. Upon which, the
^li)uke, (who out of an afFcftation of Religion and
Humility, had taken up his quarters at the mona*
ftery of Santa Croce) in order to give the finifeing
itroke^to^ his wicked dcfigns, immediately iffued out
a Proclamation, wherein he commanded all the peo-
j)le to g^pear before him the next morning in the
piazza belonging to that Convent. At this proda*
onation, the Signiory were ftill more alarnied than
they had been at his firft^ mefiage •, and having called
together fuch of the Citizens as they thought moft
aceatotis for the liberty of their country, it was rc-
fiilVed, fitace the power of the Duke was fo great^
and there was no other remedy left, to apply to hinn
IB an humble and fupplicatory manner ; and try whe-
ther they could prevail upon him by entreaties, now
force was inftifflcient, to defili from this attempt;
^rif that could not be effèéled, at leaft to goveni
liiem witb morrgentlencfò andmoder^tion* For thiiS
^«npo^ they deputed fome of their Members to

'wait

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Book It O F F L O R E N C £• 135^

^9it upon him ; one o£ whom addrdfed him im the
^Uc^ing manner:

" My Lord,

" Wc are come hither to ejcpreis our &ipri/è, in
jth^ fìrft place, at your Demand, and in the next, at
jioyr^ Proclamation to aflemble the people; pre<-
doling it is your intention to extort that from us by
violence, which, upon private application, we could
not in duty comply with* It is not our defign to op«
pole force by force, but rather to reprefent to you
the heavinefs of that burden which you are fo defiroua
to t^e upon your Qwa Ihpulders, and the dangers
th^ ar^ likely to attend it i that fojou may hereafter
i^member^ and diftinguifli betwixt our advice and
that, which is given you by others, not out of any re*
gard to your ptrfon or intereft, but to fatiate their
own revenge and ambition» You are endeavouring
to enQftve our ciiy^ which has ever beeji free ;. for the
government of it, which formerly has fometimcs bee»
conferred on the Kings of Naples, or (bmexuher of
«heir Houfe, was rather in confequence of an al-
Jiance or aflbciation, than of a forced fubjedion^
Have you CQnfidcred how dear and important the lov©
jof; Liberty muft be to fuch a Commonwealth is ours?
£^ principle that no force can ever fubdue» no lengtb
pf time can ever wear away, nor any other confider-
arion overrbalance. RecoUcLfi, Sir, I befeech y<Hi^
bow great a force will be nece0SiQy to keep fo pow«
i^ful a city in fubjeftion. All the foreign Merce-
paries you can hire wHl not be fufficicnt, and the
Citizens you cannot confide in : for thofe who at
prefcm feem to be your friends,,and at whofe inftU
g^tion you have takcii this rcfolutiun, will be the firfb
u> confpire your ruin, in order xo u&irp the govern*
ipcnt tbcmfelv,es, when they have wreaked then- ma*
lice upon their fello w-citizens, by youc means and af-^
gftance. The populace, which you chiefly truft to,
will turn againft you upo/) any litde difguft; fo tbac
i^ a ihort ti«)e, you miay expe^ to fec.tluK whole cttf
6 in

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f4* t tì E' HIST ÒR Y Book »•

in amis, which will infallibly prove the deftruftioii
both of you and itfelf : for thofe Princes only can be
fecure in their government, who have but few ene-
mies, and fuch as are eafy to be taken off either by
baniflinnent òr death : but againft a univerfal difaf-
fe(5lion, there can be no fecurity^ as it will be im-
poffible to guefs with any certainty, from what hand
the ftroke may come ; and whofoever he is, that has
reafon to fear every man, cannot befafe againft
any one. For if he cuts off fome, he is fure to ex-
pofe himfelf to ftill greater dangers, by enflaming
the hatred of thofe that are left, and making them
more implacable and rip6 for rtvengc. That time
h not able to eradicate» the tove of Liberty, is fuffi-
ciently evident ; fince it has often happened in States
where the citizens themfelves were not free, that
many have exerted their moft ftrenuous endeavours
to be fo, merely upon the report of the bleffings of
Liberty, which they have received from their fa-
thers -, and when they fucceeded, and tafted the
fweets of freedom, have defpifed all difficulties and
dangers to maintain it. And indeed, if they had
never heard of any fuch thing frotti their anceftors,
the daily fight of the public palaces, the courts of
jvftice, the colours of their militia, and other monu-
ments of former Liberty, would naturally have in-
ipired them with a love of it. What exploits or de-
gree of merit, therefore, on your fide, though ever
£o confiderable and endearing, can poflfibly be a fuf-
ficient recompence for tlie lofs of our Liberty, or
what do you think can ever make us forget the hap-
pinefs we once enjoyed ? If you was to add all Tuf-
cany to this State, and return to the city daily
crowned with frelh viftories over our enemies, the
Honour would be yours and not ours, and the citi-
zens would gain fellow-flaves rather than fubjefts,'
which would only ferve to aggravate their mifery.
u^Lnd though you fliould be religious, or affable, of
juft, or bountiful to the laft degree, believe me, all
would not be fuHicient to gain the afféótions of the

peo-

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by Google

Hook ir: OF F L O R E N e $. ^ n$

people ; if you think otherwife, . you oiily deceive
yourfelf; for to men that have once live^ fjfq^ tlie
lighteft chain will feem heavy, and the Icaft rcftraint
intolerable. In a State, which has been reduced to
fubjeélion by force, it is not poffible that the citi-
zens fliould live contentedly, even under a good
prince ; and it muft neccffarily happen, if he do<{s
not conform himlclf to their defircs, that cither one
party or the other will {o(m be ruined. We leave
you to judge, therefore, whether it will, be better
for you to endeavour to ufurp an abfolute dominion
over this city, and to hold it by downright force of
arms, (for which the poflTeffion of all the forts and
guards within, and all the friends that could be raiftd
abroad, have often been found infufficientj or to be
content with the authority and power we have alcoady
given you. We would recommend the latter of thefe
two mcafures to you, becaufe that Dominion only
can be of long continuance, which is voluntarily cob-
ferrcd ; and adyife you not to fufFer yourfelf to be
blindly led by ambition, to the brink of a prccipi^,
where you can neither retreat nor advance, and from
whence you will inevitiably be thrown down and pvcjr*
whelmed in the ruins of the Commonwealth." ^ v
Thefe expoflulations made but little impreflion up-
on the Duke, who faid, ** That it was fo far from
' being his defign to take away their liberty, that he
came thither on purpofc to rettore it : that Citizens
divided amongft themfelves were no better th^
flavcs, whilft thofe that were united might properly
be called free: that if he could extinguifli private
ambition and inteftine difcord in Florence, by i^
manner of governing, furely he might be faid to «•
cftablilh their freedom, and not to deprive them af
it : that he did not aflume the governrnentout of aQ|r
ambition of his own, but accepted it at the entreaties
of many of their fellow-citizenss ^nd therefore they
would do well to concur with them in the choice dicy
had made of him. That as to the dangers lie w^s
likely to ékpók himfelf to in this undertakic^^hcdid

4JOt

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ut T H E H I S T O R y iloàfe il.

not Mijg^rd them ; as it would be meati and |)iifìnit«
tiimOQS co decline an opportunity of doing godd, for
ftar of any evil that might cnfue ; and that none but
towards would lay àQde a glorious enterprìfe, merely
upon the uncertainty of fuccefs. That he hoped to
behave himfelf In fuch a manner» as would foon ob-'
lige them to acknowledge they had feared hitti too
much, and trufted him too little/' The Sigriiory
binding by this anfwer, that no good was to be done,
were forced to confent, that the people fhould alfèm-
Ue the next morning in the Piazza before their pa-
lace, and the government be transferred, by their au-
thority, to the Duke, for the (pace of one year, upon
the fanic conditions diat it had been formerly com*
initted into the hands of the Duke of Calabria.

On the eighth of September, 1342, the Duke, at--
tended by Giovanni delta Tofò, with all his friends,
and many other citizens, came into the Piazza : and
taking the Signiory with him, mounted the * Ring-
hiera, or landing- place, at the top of the ftcps before
the Palace Gate, where he caufed the Agreement be-
fwikt bim and the Signiory to bepublickly read ; and
-When the pcrfon who read it came to that Article,
where the goverhment was fatd to be given him for a
jrcfar, the people fhouted out, for life^ for life. Upon
which, Francifco Ruftichcgti, one of the Signiort»
TO^ up to have fpoken, and endeavoured to compote
^e turhult ; but he was interrupted, land could not
be hdeird. So that the Duke was made their Sove^
reign Lord by the confent of the people, not for a
year only^ but for ever ; and afterwards carried about
the Piazza in a chair, amidft the acclamations^ of the
Multitude. It is a cuftom amongft the Florentines,
that whoever» appointed captain of the Palace
Guard, is to fhut himfclf ctofe up ki it, in the abfenee

' * As it wat tifuat to addlrefò tlie people upon publick occafionsfroii»
this and other fuch emiuences, the word Ringhiera came at lail to %•
liify a Roftrum» Pulpit, or. reading Defk. From hence» I Rippo£,
tomes the Italian yerb arìfiigare^ùic French Jùuwtguer, and tJbeEngliib

or

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Bodk IL OF FLORENCE. §45

of tbr St^iaiiy* This charge happened at f hat tifile
to be in the hands of Rinìeri Ciocco^ who being coi^
rupted hy the Duke's 'friends, admitced htm into the
pattce without making any refìftance» to the ^veac
ofience and diflionour of the Signiory, who rewmed
to their own boufes, and left it to be (Sundered 'kff
the Duke's fervants, after they had torn the Standard
of the City to pieces, and planted their maflcr^s
there m m ftead : at which, all the good Ckizena
a|||||?|i^niccly grieved and mortified^ whilft thofe lAmt
ettber«|K of malice or fhipidity had a>nÌèflted'Wfliis
cle£k{on,^Aid not a little rejoice.

T^ Duke was no fooner in pofleffion of the Qù*

vernmeKt, but -in order to take away the authority of

thofe Who had been the tnoft zealous advocates for

jiheir liberties, he forbad the Signiory to afTembie aiif

more at the Palace, and affigned them a private hoofe

to meet in. He took away the colours from the Gotifa<»

loniers of the fcveral Companies ; be repealed the old

Laws againft the Nobi]ity,ibe difchar^ged all Priibnert^

recalled the Bardi and Frefeobaldi from baniibment,

prohibited the wearing of fwords or other arnis^ and

to iecure himfelf againil his enemies within the Cit^r^

he made as many friends as he coiald in the adjacent

, territories : for which purpofe, he ihewed great favo«F

to the people of Arezzo, and all others that were »

any w& dependent upon the city of Florence* He

concluded a peace with the Pifans, though he Jxtd beeit

vefted with abfolute power on purpofc to carry o»

the war againlt them with gi^ater vigour^ He took

away the fecuricies and alignments from the-Mer-

, chants, who had lent money to the State^ in the war

with the Lucchefe, and not only increaled the fotAier

taxes, but exaébd new ones from the people. He

entirely difiblved the authority of the Signiory, aint

&t up three new Rettori or Judges, Baglione da Br-

^rugia, Guglielmo da Scefi, and Ccxrttieri Viidomori^

who were his council dpon all occafioi». The im-

pofts he laid upon the Citizens were vtry grievoa%

iiis. judicial proceedings partial and unjuft^ ^nd diat

J iiumi*

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144 THEHISTORir Bodk II.

.ItumiUty and (hew of Religion which be bad put on
.« firft, were now fucceeded by fuch an intolerable de-
gree of haugbtinefs and cruelty, that many of the
Nobility^ and moft qonfiderable Commoners^ were
condemned and put to death, after they had been tor-
tured in a new and unheard-of manner. His tyrann3r
was no lefs infupportablc in the Country than in the
City : for after a while, he appointed fix more Judges,
to plunder and opprefs the other towns. He was
jealous of the Nobility, though he ky under great
obligations to fome of them, and had recalled others
from exile -, as he thought they were too generous
and high-fpirited to bear with his infolent manner of
governing. Upon which account, he began to pay
his court to the people, by whofe favour, and the af-
jiftance of foreign forces, he hoped he (hould be able
to fupport himfdf in his tyrannical ufurpation.
• In the month of May, at which time the Floren-
tines ufually celebrate many Holidays, he caufed the
inferior fort of people to be divided into fcveral Coca-
panics, to which he gave pay, and honoured thenah
.with colours and fplendid titles: upon whtch, there
was nothing but feafting and rejoicings to be feen in
: every part of the city, one half of the inhabitants be^
-ing employed in vifiting, and the other in receiving,
and entertaining them. And when the news of his
' great power and authority began to be fpread abroad,
many of the French nation reforted to his court, to
whom he gave preferments, and fliewcd more favour
than to any others, as perfons whom he thought he
might thoroughly confide in : fo that Florence in a
fhort time became; fubjcfl; jiot only to French men,
but to the French cuftoms and drefs, every one of
both fcxes endeavouring to 'imitate their faOiions,
without any regard to modefty, or even common de-
cency. But what feemcd more intolerable was, the
Violence that was offered by him and his followers, to
all forts of women, from the lowcfl: to the higheft.
The citizens therefore were provoked beyond all pa»
licnce, t^fee the majefty of their government thus

trampled

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Book n. O F F L O R E N C E. 145

trampled upon, their ordinances abolilhed, their Laws
annulled, all honeft converfation corrupted, and mo-
defty every where drfpifed and infultcd : for thofe
who had not been accuftomed to regal pomp, could
riot, without infinite concern, behold the Duke pa-
rading the City, furrounded by guards, both on foot
and on horfeback. But as there was no remedy^ they
were forced to court and honour him in appearance»
whilft they mortally hated him in their hearts : and
they were not a little terrified at the frequent execu-
tions, and continual impoficions, with which he weak-
ened and impovèrifhed the City. Nor was the Duke
himfclf ignorant of the general odium he had incurred,
or without fears of his own, upon that account ; tho*
he affefted to appear, as if he thought himfclf ex-
tremely beloved.

It happened, that Matteo de Morozzi, either to
gain the Dukc*s favour, or to exculpate himfclf, dif-
covered a certain plot againft him, ift which the fa-
mily of the Medici, and fomc others, were concern-
ed : but the Duke was fo far from making an enquiry
into it, that he ordered the Informer to be put to
death* : by which manner of proceeding, he deterred
every one from giving him any fort of information
that was neccflary for his fafety, and gave great en*
couragement to fuch as confpircd his deftruóUotì^

• This was a£^ing in a manner very different from moft Tyrants,
and indeed from many wife States and Princes, who have always
thought it neceffary to encourage Informers, at leaft to a certain de-
gree, upon this maxim, that it men are falfely accii/èd, they will be
acquitted when they are brought to a fair trial j and thofe who are
euiiry, cannot be punithed if they are not firft accufed. Tully, ia '
his oration pro Sextio Ro/ch, fajs, that though the Dogs that were kept
ill thetapitol could not diftinguifh thieves from honell men, yet their
barking at every body that came thilher in the night, was of ufe, at
it fcrved to alarm the people, and put them upon their gaard. Thu»
it is the intereft of rhe State to encourage accufers, in order to deter
thofe who might otherwife dilVuib the public tranquillity. Anto*
ninus Pius, however, would neither liilen to Informers, nor fuffer
iuch to be punilhed as had been aóltiaìly concerned in confpiracie»
againft him : and when the Senate was very urgent with him, to
make an enquiry into their proceedings, he anfwercd, «• he did not
chufe to have it known, that tb^re was any body ^ho did not I0T5
him." Vi6tor. in Vit Anton. Pii. /

Vol. I. L He

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,+« T H E H ! S T O R Y Book If*

yi€ likcwife caufed the tongue of Bettoni Cini to be
cut out, with fuch circumftanccs of cruelty, that, he
died of it v and for no other reafon, but becaufc he
had con^plained of the heavy taxes that he had laid
upop the city : an aft of barbarity which exceedingly
increafed the rage and difdain of the Citizens, who
having been ufed both to fay and to do every thing
\ifith the greateft freedom, could not bear to have
their hands tied op, and their mouths ftopped in this
manner.

. Thefe outrages were fufficient to roofe not only
the Florentines, (who neither know how to value
their liberty nor endure flaveryj but €v<?n the moft
àbje<9: nation upon earth, to attempt the recovery of
their freedom. Many of the Citizens therefore, of
all ranks, were determined either to fhake off the
yoke, or to die gtorioufly in the caufe of Liberty : fo
that there were three Confpiracies on foot againft him,
at the fame time, amongft three different forts of
people, the Nobility, the Commons, and the Arti-
ficers and Tradefmen. For befides the motives
arifing from a general oppreffion, each party had . its
{particular reafons. The Commons had been deprived
0f the government, the Nobility were not reftored to
it, ^nd the Tradefmen had loft all their bufinefsé
j(Vgpolo Acciaivoli, who was then Archbifliop of Flo-
rence, at firft had highly extolled the aftions and good
qualities of the Duke in fome of his Sermons to the
f)Cople, and wonderfully conciliated their affeftions to
him : but wjien he faw him in full poffeffion of the
Government, and exercifing his power in that arbi-
trary and defpotic man^JT-he began to think he had
abufed his fellow Citiz^s; and to make them fome
amends, refolved to put himfelf at the head of thè
firft and moft. powerful confpiracy, in which he en-
gaged with the Bardi, Roffi, Frefcobaldi, Scali, Al-
leviti, Magalotti, Strozzi, and Mancini. The prin-
xipal conductors of the fecond confjpiracy were Manno
■^;id Corfo Donati, and under th^m the Pazzi, Ca-
vicciulli, Cerchi and Albizi. Of the third, Antonio

.:. .: " , Adi-

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Book II. OF FLORENCE. ' t^i

Adimari was the Head, and joined by the families
of the Medici, Bordini, Rucellai, and Aldobràndinl
Their defign was to have killed him in the houfe of
the Albini, whither it was imagined. he would come
on Midfummer day to fee the Horfe-races ; but, as
it happened, he did not go thither on that day, and
their defign wis difappointed. The next propofal
^as, to affaffinaite him in the (Ireet : but that was
thought too* difficult, becaufe he always went well
^rmcd and attended : and as he feldom took the fame
round twice together, they could not certainly tell
where it would be moft proper to lie in wait for him.
'Some were of opinion it would be the bed way to dif-
^atch him in the Council : but then it was confidered
that even after he was dead, they muft of neceflity be
ièff to the difcrction of his Guards.
' Wh'ilft thcfe things were in debate amongft the
confpirators, Antonio Adimari communicated the af-
fair to fome of his friends at Siena in hopes of their
afliftance, told them the names of the principal per-
fons that were engaged in it, and aflured them the
whole city was difpofed to (hake off their yoke:
upon which, one of the Sienefe imparted the matter
to Francifco Brunellefchi, not. with any defign to
■ have betrayed the confpiracy, but becaufe he took
' it for granted that he was privy to it -, and Francifco,
' cither out of fear or malice to fome that were con-
cerned, difcoverèd the whole to the Duke, who im-
' mediately ordered Paolo da Mazzecca and Simone da

• Montezappoli to be apprehended. Thefe two being
examined made a full confeflion, and acquainted the
iDuke with the number and quality of the confpira-
tors, at which he was not a little frighted : however,

• afxcr he had conf^lted his friends, he thought fit ra-

• ther to fummon the reft to appear before him, than
to ky^violent hands upon them ; becaufe if they fled,
the danger would be over without any further diftur-
bance. In confequence of this refolution, he in the
firft place fent for Adimari, who relying upon the
number and fupport of his accomplices, boldly made

. L 2 his

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uS T H E H I S T O R y Book Ih

his appearance and was fcnt to prifon. After this
ftep, he was advifpd by Francifco Brunellelchi and
TJguccionc Buondelmontc to go to the houfcs of the
others with his guards, and to fcize upon them there
and put them to death ; but confidering how many
enemies he had in the town, he thought he had not
ftrength fufficient to do that, and therefore took an- «
other refolution, which^ if it had fucceedcd, would
have freed him from the moft powerful of his ene-
mies, and made him llrong enough to over-awe the
feft.

It had been his cuftom to call the Citizens toge-
ther and defirc their opinions and advice upon any
emergency j and now having affcmbled as many forces
as he could, he drew out a lift of three hundred
Citizens and gave it to his fcrjeants to fummon ever^
one of them, on a pretence that he wanted {o con-
fukiwith them ; defigning when they were met, either
. toÉul or imprifon them all. But the confinement of
ApKiari, and the gathering together fuch a number
of armed men, which could not be done without fome
buftle, made many of them, cfpecially tly Confpira-
tors, fo fufpicious, jhat the moft refolutc amongft
them pofitively ft^lflH to obey the fummons. After
the lift had been a^4 by them all, they had a meet-
ing, in which thej^en^ouraged eagb'other to take up
arms and die like n^en with thtij^ fvvdfds in their
hands, rather than fuffer themfelves to be driven like
flieep to the flaughtcr : fo that in lefs than an hour
all thofe that were concerned in the different Confpira-
cies, having communicated their defigns to each other,
refolved to raife a tumult the next day {which was the
26th of July. 1 34?) in the old Market-place, upon
which tHey were all to take arms and excite the peo-
ple to rife and attempt the recovery of their liberty.
The next day therefore, when the Bell rung for
Nones ^, they ail rofe, as had been agreed on,^and

• Tbe original is, al fuono di nona. The Italians begin their ac-
count of hours fiom iun fet» and eud it ac fun fet agaiii, which in-

at

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Book if. OF F L O R E N C EJ 149

at the cry of Liberty^ Liberty^ the people likewifc ran
to arms in their leverai Quarters, under the Colours
of the City, which had been fecretly delivered to
thenn before hand by the Confpirators for that pur-
pofe. All the heads of families, both of the Nobi-
lity and Commonalty, met together and took an Oath
to ftand by each other in their own defence and thfe
deftruftion of the Duke, except fome of the Buon^
dclmonti and Cavalcanti, and thole four families of
the Commoners that had been the chief inftrumcnts
in conferring the fovereignty upon him, who ran arm-
ed to the Piazza of the Palace with a parcel of Butch-
ers and others of the dregs of the people at their heels
to defend the Duke.

In the mean time the Duke, not a little alarmed at
thefe proceedings, was very bufy in fortifying the
Palace \ and thofe of his Guards that lodged in other
parts of the city, mounted their horlcs and rode to-
wards the Piazza; but in their way thither they were
attacked fcveral times and many of them killed.
However, as about three hundred Horfe had affem-
bled there to fuppprt him, he was in doubt whether
he Ihould fally out and face his enemies, Qr defend
himfelf in the Palace, On the other hand, the Me-
dici, Cavicciulli, Rucellai, and other families who
had fufFered moft by him, were apprehenfive that if
lie fhould make a fally, many who had taken arms
againft him would declare themfelves his friends :
^nd therefore being refolved to prevent him from ùXr
lying out and gaining more ftrength, they drew up
and attacked his forces that were aflVmbled in the
Piazza. Upon this, the families which appeared at
firft in the Dukc*s defence, ieeing themfelves fo yi-

cludet a fpace of twenty four hours. And as the fun fets vvith them
about nine o'clock at that feafon of the Year, their ninth hour mult
be about fix the next morning, as we reckon time — // fuono di nona,
is alfe often ufed by Italian writers, for ringing the bell for Nonet
about mid day, which is one of ihpir ftated hours of prayer. Thf
latter feems to be meant here, as the tumult was to be begun in the
Maricet- place, which at that time of the day might be fuppofed to be
fuileft of people.

L 5 goroufly

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gofouily aflaulted, immediately changed their fide,
^qd dcfening him in his ditlrefs, all joined their felr
Jow-cinzcns, except Uguccionc Euondelmonte, wiip
withdrew into the Palace, and Gianozzo Cavalcanti
ivJuo retreated wi eh fome of his parcy into the New
Market, where he got upon a table and made an har
ran^^ue to the people, in whu h he e:;rn( ftiy exhorted
thofe whom he found in arms there to hailen to th^
IJUike's afllftance. And to intimidate them, he mag-
nified ills ftrength, and told them,, that every man of
them would be put to death if they perfiiled in their
rebellion againft their Prince. Bue as nobody eicher
feemed to regard him or thought it wortJi their while
to chaftife him for his infolence, afier he had taken
much pains to no purpofe, he reiblved not to hazard
his perfon any longer, and ineakcd away to his own
houfe. The difpuie was very Ihafp in the mean time
betwixt the people and the Duke*s party in the Piazza^
and though the latter were reinforced from the Palace, '
they were worfted, part of them furrendering to the
enemy, others quitting their horfes and efcaping on
foot into the Palace, Whilft they were thus engage4
in the Piazza, Corfo and, Amerigo Donati with fomc
others of the people broke open the Prifons, burnt
fhe records of the Judges Courts and publick Cham-
ber, plundered the houfes of the Magiftrates and kil^
led all the Duke*s creatures they could meet with.
T'he Duke on the other hand, feeing the Piazza was
left, th^t the whole city was become his 'enemy, and
HO hopes of relief left, refolved to try if he could re-
gain the affcdions of the pe^ople by fome afts of grace
apd indulgence. For which purpofe he knighted
Antonio Adimari in the fiift place, though much
againil his own inclination, and with very little fatif-
faftion to the other: he then fcnt for all the reft
whom he had irnprifoned, and fet them at liberty with
promifes of hi$ future friendlh^p and favour : he like-
wife caufed his own Itandard to be taken down, and
that of the people to be fet up again at the Palace :
all which things being done in a very ungracious

man-
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manner, and jouc of mere neccfficy, had but little ef-
fetì:. So that he ftill continued blocked up in the
Palace to his great mortification, when hefaw that by
grafping at too much power he was Hkely to lofc all,
and eitiier to be fami(hed or malFacre^ in a few days.
After this fucccfs, the Citizens aflfcmbled in St.
Reparata's in order to reform the Government, and
appointed fourteen perfons, one half of then> of the
Nobility and the other of the Commoiters, who in
conjunàion with the Archbilliop (hould have full
power to new-model the Scare as they pleafcd.' They
alfo committed the authority of the Podefta to fix
Magiftrates, who were to adminifter juftice till the
arrival of the perfon whom they (hould make choice
of to fill that OfHce, There were many people in
Florence at that time, who had come thither to the
afliftance of the Citizens ; and amongft the reft, fix
Deputies from Siena, men of great efteem in their
own Country, who endeavoured to bring about fomc
accommodation betwixt the people and the Duke,
But the people abfolutely refufed toliften to any over-
cures of that kind, except Guglielmo da Scefi, toge-
ther with his fon and Ceretiieri Vifdomini, were deli-
vered up to them, which the Duke would not con-
fcnt to by any means, till the threats of thofe that
were blocked up with him in the Palace obliged him
to comply. G rearer certainly and more cruel is the
refcntment of the People when they have recovered
their liberty, than when they are afting in* defence of
it. Guglielmo and his Son were brought out and
given up to thoufands of their enemies ; and though
the Son was not quite eighteen years of age, yet nei-
ther his youth, nor innocence, ,nor the graccfulnefs
of his perfon were fufEcient to proteól him from the
rage or the multitude. Many who could not get near
enough to reach them whilft they were alive, thruft
their fwords into them after they were dead ; and not
content with this, they tore their carcaffes to pieces
with their nails and teeth : that fo all their fenfes might
be glutted with revenge ; and after they had fcafted

L 4 their

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152 T H E H I S T O R Y Book 11.

their cars with their groans, their eyes with their
wounds, and their touch with tearing the fle(h off their
bones; as if all this was not enough, the tafte' like-
wife might have its (hare and be gratified. This fa-
vage Barbarity, how fatal foevcr to thofe two, was the
prefervation of Cerettieri ; for the people having fpent
their fury upon thcfe unfortunate men, entirely forgot
him, and he was privately conveyed in the night by
fome of his friends and relations out of the Palace
into a place of' fecurity.

When the people were thus fatiated with blood,
the Duke and his friends were fuffered to withdraw
with their effcfts unmolefted out of Florence, on con-
dition that he would renounce all claim and preten-
fions to any authority over the city, and ratify his re-
nunciation when he got to Cafentino, a place out of
the Florentine Dominions ; in purfuance of which
agreement, he left Florence on the fixth of Auguft,
cfcorted by many of the Citizens, and upon his arri-
val at Cafentino, confirmed his renunciation, though
with much reluftance -, and indeed it is very likely
he would not have done it at all, if Conte Simone had
not threatened to carry him back again to Florence*.
This Prince, as his aftions have fully fhewn, was of
a fanguinary and avaricious difpofition, difficult of
accefs, and haughty in his anfwers. As he did not
regard the* afFedions of the people, wliom he hoped
to enflave, he rather chofe to be feared than loved.
Nor was his perfon lefs difagreeable than his beha-
viour was odiou$. For he was very low of ftature,

• Livy relates, 1. xxiv. c. «i. thatf Dionyfius the tyrant ufed to fay,
•* That rather thaa return to a private condition on iiorfeback, he
would be dragged to it by the feet.' It is no wonder, indeed, that
tj^rants refign their power with rehi^anre; for vihen they have done
fo, how can they refund the fums of which they have plundered their
country ? How can they indemnify thofe whom they have imprifoned ?
How can they rcftore life to the pcrfons the) have put to deatii ^
Who will defend them againft.the general refentment of the. people ?
Pcriander faid, ** it was dangerous for a tyrant to abdicate even of
lii& own accord." Yet Sylladid it, and died a natural death, after he
had (b«d the Wood of loo^ooo private men, 90 Senators, 15 of con-
fular dignity, and above 2000 Gentlemen.

ot

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Book IL O F F L O R E N C E. 153

of a fwarthy completion, with a long thin beard:
fo that he was every way defpicable and worthy of
general contempt : and the enormities of his admi^
niftration in the courfe of about ten months^ deprived
him of that Dominion which he had acquired by
the contrivance and co-operation of bad Citizens*

This revolution in the city encouraged all the reft
• of the towns under the jurifdiókion of the Floren-
tines to take up arms for their liberties ; fo that in a
Ihort time,, Arezzo, Caftiglione, PiUoia, Volterra,
Colle and St. Gimignàno revolted ; and the whole
territory of Florence, after the example of its Metro-
polis, (hook off its yoke and became entirely free : in
this manner, the Florentines, by the fteps they took
to recover their own liberty, at the fame time taught
their Vaffals to do the like. »

After the Duke was thus depofed. the Council of
fourteen and the Archbiftiop confuiting together,
thought it would be better to attach their former
fubjeds to them by pacific mcafures, than to widen
the breach byhoftilities ; and pretending to be no
lefs pleafcd with their liberty than their own, they
fent Deputies to Arezzo to renounce the Sovereignty
which ihcy before had over it, and to enter into an
alliance with the Citizens: that fo, though they could
not for the future command them as fubjecls, they
might upon occafion make ufe of their afllftance as
friends. This prudent refolution had a very good
effed ; for all tlie reft of the towns, except Arezzo,
returned to their former obedience in a few months,
and Arezzo itfelf followed their example not many
years after. 1 hus experience (hews that fome ends
are obtained with lefs danger and expence by coolnefs
and indifference, than by purfuing them with paffion
and impetuofity.

When affairs abroad were compofcrd in this man-
ner, they begat J to fettle the form of their govern*
ment at home j and after fome difputes betwixt the
Nobility and the People, it was agreed that one third
of the Signiory, and one half of the other Magi-

ftrates

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ii4 T H E H I S T O R Y Book IL

ftrates attd other OfBcers of State Ihould confili of
the Nobilky. The city, as we have fakl before, was
divided into fix parts, each of which chofe one of the
Signiory ; and chough it fometimes happened that
their number was increafcd to twelve or thirteen,- yet
they weic afterwards reduced again to fix. But as
thefc fix parts were not duly proportioned, and they
defigncd to give more power and authority to the Ncm
bility, it was neceflary to make a new regulation in
this point, and to increafe the number of the Signiory.
They divided the city therefore into quarters, and
choie three of the Signiory out of each. The Gon-
falonier della Giuftizia, and thofe of the feveral Com-
panies, were laid afide-, and inftead of the twelve
Bqonhuomini, they created eight Counfellors, four
of each quality. The commonwealth being fettled
upon this bottom, might have continued quiet and
happy, if the Nobility could have been content to
confine themfelves within the' bounds of that modera-
tion which is requifite in all republican governments.
But their behaviour was quite contrary : for as they
had always <iifdaincd the thoughts of equality, even
when they lived a private life, fo now they were irt the
inagifl:racy they thought to doniineer over the whole
city^ and every day produced frefh inftances of their
pride and arrogance ; which exceedingly galled the
people when they faw they had depofed one Tyrant,
only to make room fora rhoufandf.

Things being thus circumftanccd, the infolence of
one fide, and the indignation and impatience of the
other, at laft increafed to fuch a height, that the
Heads of the people complained to the Archbifliop .
of the enormities of the Nobility and the haughtinefs
with which they were treated by them •, befeeching
him to ufe his endeavours to bring it about that they
might be confined to a certain fliare in the other offices,
and leave the Signiory to be filled by Commoners

f It often happens, fays an ingenious writer, that more diforders
are occafioncd by confpiracies, which put an end to tyranny, th^n
there would have been by Ajftcring it.

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Bookll. OF FLORENCE. i%

4>nly. The Archbifliop was naturally a good marr,
but of a fkldc inconftant difpoGtion and eafìly moved
CO change his fide : So chat his acqaaintance at firft
prcvaikd upon him to appear in favour of the Duke
of Athens, and afterwards, at the perfuafion- of other
Citizens, Ke confpired againft him : in the late Re-
formation he exerted himfelf for the Nobility, and
now he was induced, by the follicitation of the peo*
pie, to turn his back upon them ; and imagining lie
fliould find other people as eafy to be wrought upon
as himfelf, be made no doubt of bringing the Nobf-
licy to comply with thofe propoJals. For this pur-
pofe, he called together the Fourteen, who were yet
in authority, and made ufe of the mildeft and mofl:
pbufible arguments to prevail upon them to give up
the Signiory to the People, if they had any regard to
the peace of the city, or their own fafety and prefer-
vation. But thefc admonitions had a very different
effect upon the Nobility, from what he expefted :
for Ridolplio de Bardi taking him up very (harply,
upbraided him with levity and perfidy in firft com-
ing over to the Duke, and then deferring him in his
ditìrefs ; and concluded with faying, " that as they
had acquired the honours they enjoyed with the peril
of their lives, they would maintain them in the lame
iTianner": after which, he and his friends abruptly
withdrew, and leaving the Archbifliop, went diredly
to inform all the reft of the Nobility of what had
paffed. Thofe of the Commoners that were of the
Fourteefi, likcwife acquainted their party with thefe
proceedings : and whilft the Nobility were raifing
what force they could, for the defence of their friends
that were in, the Signiory, the Commons alfo, not
caring to wait till they were grown too ftrong, in-
ftantly took arms and ran to the Palace, where they
furioufly called upon the Nobles to refign all Ihare in
the adminiftration. The tumult being very great,
the Signiory were deferred : for the Nobility feeing
all the people in arms, durft not appear, but kept
c lofi: at home.- Upon which, tiic Commoners that

were

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F56 . T HE H I S T O R T Book IT.

were bf the Signiory, endeavoured to pacify the Mul-
titude, by proicfting, tKat their Affociates were good
and worthy n^en : but not fucceeding in that attempt,
in order to proteft them from further danger, they
fent them to their own houfcs, whither they got with
much difficulty. After the Nobles in the Signiory
"were thus deprived of their authority, the four
Gounfellors of their order were alfo turned out of
their offices^ and the remaining number incrcafed to
twelve, which confided of Commoners only : befides
which, the eight that remained in the Signiory, not
only made a new Gonfalonier di Giuftrzia and fixreen
other Gonfaloniers over the Companies of the people,
but modelled all the Councils in fuch a manner, that
the government was now entirely in the hands of the
people.

During thefe tranfaélions, there happened a great
dearth in Florence : fo that there were very grievous
difcontents both amongft the Nobility and common
people ; the former repining at the lofs of their au-
thority, and the latter murmuring for want of bread.
Thefe clamours encouraged Andrea Strozzi to make
an attempt upon the liberties of the city. For as he
fold his corn at a cheaper rate than others, it drew
juch numbers to his Houfe, that he boldly mounted
his horfe one morning, and putting himfelf at the
head of them, called upon all the reft of the people
to take up arms : by which means he had got toge-
ther above four thoufand men in lefs than an hour,
and conducing them to the palace of the Signiory,
demanded the doors of it to be thrown open to him.
But the Signiory, partly by threats, and partly by
force of arms, happily difengaged themfelves from
them ; and afterwards fo terrified them by iffuing out
one Proclamation after another, that the multitude
diflblyed by little and little, and every man returned
to his own houfe, leaving Andrea alone to fhifc for
himfelf as well as he could ; fo that it was with no
little difficulty that he efcaped the hands of the ma-
giftrates. The attempt was bold indeed, and though

it

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Book IL O F F L O R E N C E. 1^7

it did not fucceed, (as fuch rafli entcrprizetf fcldom do)
yet it gave the Nobility frcfli hopes of rccovcriftg
their power, now they law the inferior fort of people
fo incenicd againft the Commons. Not to negleiSt fo
fair an opportunity therefore, they rtfolved tojakc
arms, and make ule of all manner of allies to regain
that by force, which they conceived had been takea
from them with fo much injuftice. And to infufc
fuccefs, they provided tht'mfelves with arms, fortified
their houfes, and knt to their friends in Lombardy for
fupplies.

1 he Commons and the Signiory on the other h^nd
were no lefs bufy in arming themfelves, and fept to
the Sienefe and Pcrugians to dcfire their afliftance :
fo that when the auxiliaries on each fide arrived, the
whole city was foon in arms. The Nobility drew
up in three divifions, on this fide the Arno, at the
houfes of the Cavicciulli near St. John's, at thofe pf
the Pazzi and Donati near St. Pietro Maggiore, and
at thofe of the Cavalcanti in the New Market: whilft
fuch of them as lived on the other fide of the River,
fortified the Bridges and Streets that were near their
boufes. The Ncrli took poflcffion of the Ponte alla
Carraia ; the Frefcobaldi and Mannelli, of that of
St. Trmita; the Roffi and the Bardi, of the old
Bridge and the Rubaconte. The Commons in the
mean time, having aflfembled under the Gonfalone,
or Standard della oiuftizia, and the colours of their
refpedive companies, rclolved to attack the enemy
v/ithout further delay. Accordingly the Medici and
Rondinelii immediately fell upon the Cavicciulli in
the avenue that led from St. John's Piazza to the
place where their houfes flood. The aólion con-
tinued very hot and bloody for the fpace of three
hours, during which, they had great ftones tumbled
down upon their heads from the tops of the houfes,
and were tcrribjy galled with crofs bows below : but
• as the number of the enemy continually increafed,
the Cavicciulli feeing themfelves over- powered at laft,
and dcilitute of all relief, were forced to furrcnder

to

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15» T H E H I S T 0 R Y Book IL

to the people, who fpared their hotrfes and effcfts-,
and were content with taking away their arms only,
anddiftributingthem, dlfarmed as they Were, amongft
riie houfes of the Commoners that were their friendé
ùr relations. When the CavicciaJli were thus de-
feated, the Pazzi and Donati, who had not fo much
ftrength, wefe fobtì redueed; fo that the Cavalcanti
Only remained entire on this fide of the River, who
urere more confiderable both in refpeft of their num-
bers and the ftrength of their fituation. But as they
faw all the companies now advancing againft them,
arid their aflbciates had been worfted by three of them
only, they fubmitted without making much refift-
ance* Three parts of the city out of four were now
in the hands of the people; but that. which ftill con-
tinued in the pofleffion of the Nobility, was more
inacceffible and difficult to be ftormed than any of
the reft, tìot only on account of the numbers that de-
fended it, but becaufe it was fo fecured by the Ri-
ver, that it was neceflary xo be matters of the Bridges
in the firft place, which, as we have already fard,
were very well fortified. A vigorous attack, how-
ever, was made upon the old Bridge, which was no
left refolutely fuftained ; and as the turrets were gar-
rifoned, the avenues blacked up, and the tarricadoes
guarded by the ftouteft of their men, the people
were repulfed with confiderable lofs. When they
found therefore that all further attempts woiild be
in vain at thatpafs, they rclolved, if it was pofllble,
to force their way over the Ponte Rubaconce : but
meeting with the fame obftriiftions there, they left
four companies to watch the motions of the enemy at
thofé two Bridges, and marched with the relt to the
Ponte alla Carraia. The Nerli had the defence of
that pafs, and though they behaved with grtrat va-
lour, yet they could not pofTibly maintain it; not

- only becaufe there were no turrets there, but be-
• caufe the Capponi and other neighbouring families of

- the Commoners attacked them at the fame time in
the rear; fo that, being over-powered by numbers,

7 they

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Book IL O F F L O R E N G E. t^

they wcre> Forced to abandon thctr barricadoes; and
give way to tbc fury of the aflailants» who^ having
been joined by all the families of the Gommoncrs on
the other fide of the River, then proceeded to attack
the Roffi and Frefcobaldi, amd foon drove them frorr
their pofts» The only party that rennained uocoa*
quercd were the Bardi, who defended themfch^s i»
fo coarageous and obdinate a mamner, that ndther the
defeat of their affociates, nor the whole foroe of tho
people combined againft, them alone, nor the tn>pof«
fibilicy of any relief, could difmay them : and they
rather chofe to fee their houfes plundered ami burnt
down to the ground before their faces, and to dio
bravely with their arms in their hands, thai! camdy
fiibmit to the mercy of their enemy, Wkh this i*efo-»
Jutiòn, they flood by each other fo firmly, that rfiough
fhey were fevcral times attacked both at the old Bric^
and the Rubaconte, they as often repulfed the pfopla
at each place with great flaughter. There war ati old
ebfcure lane that led from the Via Romani^ by the
houfes of the Pitti, to the wall upon St. George'i
Hill ; through this lane, the people fent fix compa*
nies, with orders to attack the back parts of the
houfes where the Bardi had fortified themfclves : at
which they were fo diflieartcned, that the people, inJL
very (hort time, got the better of them. For as foon
as they heard their houfes were aflauked in that man-
ner, thqfe that guarded the Barricadocs at the Bridges^
immediately quitted their Pofts and ran to defend
them : fo that they were prcfently forced, and the
Bardi being utterly routed and difperfed, took (helter
in the houfes of the Quaratefi, Panzanefi, and Mozzi.
Upon which, the people, efpecially the inferior fort of
them, naturally rapacious and greedy of fpojl, began
to plunder their houfes, which they afterwards burnt
down to the ground, and committed fuch other out-
rages as the bittereft enemy to the city of Florence
would have been afhamed of.

The Nobility being in this manner entirely fub-
^ued, the people took upon them to reform. the State ;

and

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t«o THE HISTORY Book IL

and as there were three degrees of them, it was or-
dained that the higheft rank fliould have the nomi-
nation of two of the Signiory, the middle fort of
three, and the lowcfl: of three more: and that the
Gonfalonier della Giuflizia (hquld be chofen by turns
cot of all three. Befides which, the old Laws were
revived and put in execution againft the Nobility ;
and to reduce them ftill more effeftuaily, many of
them were incorporated with the other claflcs. By
thefe means they were brought fo low, that they be-
came abjefb and pufillanimous, and never durft rife
any more againft the people : fo that being deprived
of thei^ arms and honours, their fpirit and generofity
likewifc fcemed to be extinguifhed. After this de-
preflion of the Nobles, the city continued in tran-
quillity till the year 1353, during which interval the
great Plague happened, fo eloquently dcicribed by
Giovanni Boccaccio *, of which above nincty-fix
thoufand people died in Florence. The firft war with
the Vifconti likcwife happened in this period, occa-
fioned by the ambition of the Archbifhop, who ac
that time: was Prince of Milan •, which war was no
fooner ended, but new faftions fprung up in the City;
for though the Nobility were ruined, yet Fortune found
4)ther means to raife frelb troubles and diflenfions.

. • TTjat author has taken great pains indeed, to defcribc this caU-
mity^in the moft affé £)ing manner, at the begixuiing of his Decame*
ro9e i and it is finely wrought up.

END OF THE SECOND BOOK.

THE

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T H *

HIS t O R Y

O F

F L O R E N C £•

BOOK IIL

ARGUMENT.

Animqfities hetivm the Nobility and People^ the chief
eaufe of difiurbances in a city. The emulation betwixt

> the middle fort of People and the Plebeians. Several
are admonifoed and rendered incapable of the Magi-
ftracy. The Speech of a Citizen to the SigHiofy. A
reformation in Florence. Pope Gregory XL refides at
Avignon^ and governs Italy by Legates. Eight Citi*
zens appointed to aS as fecretaries at ivar. A confpi*
racy of the Guelphs defeated. The fpeech of Sylveftro

- de Medici. The Balia, a temporary council^ injlituted.
Another reformation. The Jpeech of Luigi Guicdar*
dini to the Magiftrates and Syndics of the ArtSy when
be was Gorfalonier^ di Giujlizia. New difturbances
arife from the dif contents of the Plebeians. The Speech
of a Plebeian. The Plebeians rife in arms. Their
Demands. Michael di LandOy a wochcombery puts
himfelf at the head of them^ and feizes upon the gO'-^
vernment. His character. He quells the Plebeians^
The popular and Pieieian f aliens. Apprehenjton of a
confpiracy. Many executions in Florence. Remark*
able ftory of Pietro degli Albizi. Another model of
government. The Plebeians are deprived of all fhare
Vol. I. M i>

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i62 THEHISTÓRY Book III^

in it. Michael di Lanéh is banijhed. Lewis of AnJQU
comes into Italy^ with an army^ to drive Carlo Du^
razzo out of the kingdom of Naples^ and re efiablifb
^ueen Giovanna there. The Florentines are afraid vf
him. His death. Carlo Durazzo is made King of
Hungary^ and dies there foon after. Benedetto degli
Alberti is banifhed ^hefpeech of Veri de Medici to
the Signiory. Donato AcciaiuoU banifhed, A confpi^
racy defeated. The Duke of Milan toufpires with tb$
Exiles againji Florence. The Plot is difcovered. Se-
veral Families proclaimed Rebels and banijhed. The
, death (f Ladiflaus^ King of Naples*

THE bigtcr animoGiies which generally happen
between the people and tfobHity from an am-
bition in the one to command, and a rclaftance in the
other to obey, are the natural fources of thofe cala-
mities that are incident to Commonwealths; forali
other evils that ufually difturb their peace are both
occafioned and fomented by this cofttrariety of dif-
pofitions. It was this that kept Rome fo long di^
vtdcd. This alfo (if we may be allowed to compare
a fmall Republic with one that was fo much more
confiderable) gave birth to the factions which fprang
up in Florence ; though indeed it produced rery dif-
ferent cflFcéls at laft in the two cities. Foe tte diC-
putes that firft arofe between the Nobility and people
of ^ome, were determined by reafon and expoftu-
lation ; but thofe at Florence by the fword. In Rome
that was cffeded by the Laws, which in Floi^nce
could hardly be done by the banilhmcnt and death of
numbers of their citizens. The quarrels of the Ro-
mans ftill added to their fpirit and military virtue-,
whilfl: thofe of the Florentines utterly extinguilhed
them. The former dcftroyed that equality which
was at fìrft eftablifhed, and introduced a prodigious
difparity amongft the Citizens: the latter, on the
contrary, abolilhed all fuperiority ór diflfercncc of
rank, and put every man upon the fame level. This
• divcrfiiy of cffcéts muft certainly have proceeded

from
-6

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from a difference of views. The people of Rome
d^fircd no more than to (hare with the Nobility in
the adminiftration of the Commonwealth ; but the
people of Florence were not only defirous to have
the government of the State to themfelves, but ufed ^,
violent meafures, and took up arms to exclude their
Nobles from any part in it. And as the term» of
the Roman people were more moderate, their de-
niandfi feemcd not unreafooable to the Nobility, who,
therefore,^ complied with them ; fo that after fomp
little bickerings, and without coming to an open
rupture, a Law was made, by which the people were
Buisfied, and the Nobles continued in their honours
and offices. On the other hand, the demands of the
Florentine people were fo extravagant and injuriocrs,
that the Nobility took up arms to fupport their pri-
vileges, and their quarrels grew to fuch a height,^
that numbers were either baniflied, or (lain, before
they could be ended ; and the Laws afterwards made,
were calculated rather for the private advantajge of the
viftprs than the good of the publick.

Hence it came to pafs, that the fuccefs of the peo-
ple of Rome made that State more potent and con-
fiderable : for as they were equally admitted to go-
vern the Commonwealth, and to command their ar-
' mies and provinces with the Nobility, they became
infpired with the fame virtue and magnanimity *, and
ai they grew more public fpiritcd, their power alfo
increafed. But in JFlorence, when the people had
fttbdued the Nobility, they diverted them of all man-
ner of authority, and left them no poffibility of re-
covering any part of ir, except they would entirely
conform to their cuftoms and way of living:, and not
. only fubmit to appear, but to be Comrnoners like
^emielves. And this was the reafon that induced
. them to change their arms, and vary their titles, and
the names of their families, which was fo frequent in
jchofe times amongft the Nobility, in order to infi-
Duate themfelves into the affeftions of the people : fo
xk^X the military fpiric and greatnefs of foul, for

M 2 which

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i6+ THE HISTORY Book III.

which the Nobility, had been held in fuch veneration,
was utterly extinguiflicd, and not by any means to
be raifed in the people where there were no feeds of
it ; by which means Florence became every day more
abjeft and pufillanimous. And whereas Rome at laft
grew fo powerful and wanton by the cfFefts of its vir-
tue, that it could not be governed any otherwife than
by one Prince -, Florence was reduced fo low, that g
wife Legiflator might eafily have new modelled it»
and given it what form he pleafed ; which muft be
obvious to any one that has read the firft and fe-
cond books of this hiftory. As I have therefore al-
ready given an account of the original of Florence,
tJte foundation and eftablifliment of its liberty, the
O€cafion of its diflcnfions, the tyranny of the Duke
of Athens, and how the faftions betwixt the Nobility
and the Commons ended in the utter ruin of the for-
mer, I filali now proceed to relate the Contefts that
happened betwixt the Commons and the Plebeians,
and the feveral events which they produced.

The power of the Nobility being fupprcffed, and

. the war with the Archbiftiop at an end, there feemed
to be no feeds of future diflcnfions left in Florence.
But the evil deftiny of our City, and want of good
conduft, occafionfed a new emulation betwixt the fa-
Qiilies of the Albizi and the Ricci, which produced
as fatal divifions as thofe betwixt the Buondelmonti

, and U berti, and the other betwixt the Cerchi and
Donati had done before. The Popes then refided in
France, and the Emperors in Germany : but upon
various occafions, and at different times, had fcnt
great numbers of Englifii, French, and German
forces into Italy, to keep up their intereft and re-
putation there. But when the wars were over, and

, they were dilbanded, they all united under one com-
mon Standard, as Soldiers of Fortune, and levied
contributions fometimcs upon one Prince, and fome-
times upon another. In the year 1353, a body of
thtfe Freebooters advancing into Tufcany, under the
command of Monfieur Real, a Provencal, threw the

whole

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Book IIL OF F L O R E N C E. 16$

whole country into fuch confternation, that not only
the Governors of Florence raifcd forces on the public
account, hut feveral private Citizens, efpccially the
Albizi and Ricci, fortified ihemfclves for their own
defence. Betwixt thefe two families, there was a
mortal. hatred, each confpiring the deftruftion of the
other, in order to cngrofs the fole management of
the Commonwealth with lefs difficulty. However;
they had not as yet taken up arms, or proceeded to
open violence on cither fide, but only thwarted each
other in council, and the execution of iheir offices.
In the mean time, whilft the whole city wa^ ready
armed and ripe for mifchief, there unluckily hap-
pened a private quarrel in the Old Market Place; to
which all the neighbours ran (as ufual on fuch oc-
cafions) and upon enquiring into the caule of it,
fomc gave our, that the Ricci were going to attack
the Albizi, and others that the Albizi were preparing
to fall upon the Ricci ; which different ftories being
immediately carried to both parties, occafioned fuch
an uproar and divifion throughout the whole city^
that the Magiftrates found it a very difficult matter
to keep the two families and their friends from coming
to a fray in good earneft ; though neither fide had in-
tended any fuch thing as was malicioufly reported.
This difturbance, though fmall at firft, and acci-
dental, ferved to enfiarne their former animofities,
and determined both fides to be upon their guard,
and ftrengtben their parties. And fince the Citizens
were reduced to fuch a degree of equality by the fup-
preffion of the Nobility, that the Magiftrates were
held -in greater reverence than ever they had been
before, each family rcfolved to avail themfelves ra^
ther of public and ordinary means, than of private
violence.

We have already Ihewn that the Guelphs alone
were invefted with the Magiftracy, and had great
pow^r given them over the Ghibeline party after the
yjclory gained by Charles the Firft : but this dif-
tinétion was fo far aboliflied by rime and various other

M 3 coa-

dbjùCopgle .

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l66 T H E H I S T O R Y Book Hn

tont'iDgencies and new diviQons, that many who were
defcended from the Ghibelincs^ had now sot into aa*
thority and excrcifed fbme of the higheS offices in
common wijh the Guelphs. Uguccionc dc Ricci»
therefore j who at that time was the head of his fa*
snily, ufed his utmoll endeavours to have the laws
tgainft the Ghibelines revived-, which fa&ion^ it
tvas fuppofed by many, the Albini inclined to fa*
youri as they originally came^ though many years be-
fore, from Arezzo to fettle in Florence. So that
Uguccionc hoped to render that family incapable of
enjoying any honours in the Commonwealth by vir-
tue of thofe laws; fince it was enaded by them^
that no perfon whatfoever that was of Ghibciine ex-
traftion, fliould prcfume to excrcife the office of a
Magiftrate on pain of death. This dcfigri was dif-
covered by Pietro, the fon of Philippo Albizi, who
refolved to connive at it ; rightly judging, that if he
tnàde any oppofition, it would be in a manner de*
Claring himfclf a Ghibeline. Thefc laws, however^
though renewed to favour the interefl and ambition
of the Ricci, did not in the leafl diminifli the repu-
tation of the Albizi, but rather increafed it, and
were the occafion of many evils that afterwards hap-
pened i for indeed no laws can be made fo prejudi-
cial to a Common- wealth as thofe of retrofpedion,
and fuch as look too far back into paft times. Pietro
therefore, having rather promoted than oppofcd thofe
laws 5 made ufc of the very means to advance him-
felf, which his enemies had contrived to ruin him :
for undertaking to fee them put in execution, he daily
acquired frelh authority, and became the chief fa-
vourite of this new fatìion of the Guelphs. And as
there was no certain definition of a Ghibciine laid
down in thofe laws, nor any particular Magiftrate de-
puted to inform againft them (which rendered the
laws of little effeft) he got it enaded, that the Cap<^
tains of the people (hould have power to make an in-»
quifitlon into that matter, and to admonilh fuch as
were difcovcred to be Ghibelines, not to exercife the

funélion

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Book III. OF FLORENCE. 167

funétion of Maeiftrates ; which admonition if they
did not obey, they were to be put to death j and
from hence all thofe that were afterwards incapacir
tated to fill the Magiftracy, were called Ammoniti^ or
perfons àdmoni(hed. But in a while the Captains
grew fo partial and infolent, that without any regard
to principle of fufficient caufe, they admonifhed whom-
focver they thought fit, accordingly as they were led
by paflion or private intercft : fo that betwixt the year
1357, in which this law took place, and the year 137 1,
aoovc two hundred of the Citizens were admonifhed.
By thefe means the Captains and the fadion of the
Guelphs were grown very confiderable, efpecially the
Heads of it, rietro degli Albizi, Lapo da Caftig-
lionchio, and Carlo Strozzi, who were much courted
by every one for fear of being admonilhed. And
though this injurious mannerof proceeding gave great
,difguft to many, yet it was more intolerable to the
Ricci than any body elfe, who had been the authors
of thefe meafures, which contrary to their intentions
had fo niuch jncreafed the power of their enemies
and were likely to prove the ruin of the Common-
wealth* Uguccione therefore, being one of the Sig-
niory, in order to mitigate the fmart of this fcourge
which he and his partifans had made for their own
backs, caufed a new law to be paifed, that three
more Captains (hoqld be added to the former fix,
two of whom were to be chofen out of the lower fort
of Mech^nicks ; and that thofe who were admonifhed
as Ghibelines, ftiould be certified to be fo by twenty-
four Citizens of the Guelph party, deputed on pur-
pofe to examine into the proofs of it. Thefe laws
for fome time were fuch a check upon the arbitrary
proceedings of the Captains, that their admonitions
loft much of their terror, and ^ere in a great meafure
laid afide. The jealoufies however betwixt the Ricci
and Albizi were not yet fubfided, and they ftill con-
tinued to oppofe each other in all councils, enter-
prizes, and other public aflFairs with the utmoft de-
gree of virulence. Thefe difcords lafted from the

M 4 year

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1^8 THE HISTORY Book IIL

year 1366 till 1371, by which time the Guelphs had
fully recovered their former authority.

There was a gentleman of the family of Buondel-
monti, whofe name was Benchi, who for his merit in
the wars againft the Pifans, was thought worthy of
being admitted into the rank of Commoners, and
thereby became qualified to be of the Signiory,
^ut when he expeded that honour, a law was made,
that no perfon of noble extraftion, though become a
Commoner, (hould be capable of enjoying any Iharc
in the M^giftracy. At this law, Benchi was fo highly
provoked, that he joined with Pietro degli Albizi ;
^nd afjtcr a ponfultation betwixt them, they rcfblved
to deprefs the lower fort of people by admonitions,
jind take the government into their own hands. And
indeed by his inter^ft with the ancient Nobility, and
Pietro's amongft the principal Commoners, the fac-
fion of the Guelphs grew ftill more and more cori-
fiderable : for they had fo ordered matters by their
new models an4 regulations, that the Captains and
the twenty-four being wholly at their devotion, they
began to avail themfelve$ of adoiopitions again, with
piore boldnefs than ever they had done before ; and
the family of rfie Albini being at the head of that
faftion, became exceeding powerful. The Ricci and
their friends, on the other hand, fpared no pains to
obftrudl thefe defigns : fo that every one living in
great fear and apprehenfion of fome fatal confe-
quence, feveral of the Citizens, who were moft zea-
lous for the good of their Country, aflfembled in the
Church of St. Pietro Scheraggio, and having con-
fidered the dangerous fituation of affairs, they went
jto wait upon the Signiory at their Palace, where one
of the moft eminent of their body addrefled himiclf
jto them in the following manner.

** Many of us have been in doubt, magnificent
3igniprs, whether our aflembling without due au-
thority, though upon a public .occafion, might not
bp cenfured as too forward and prcfumptuous in
private men. But whcq we confidered that numbers

of

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Book III. O F F L O R E N C E. i6g

of other Citizens have daily cabals in fecret placest
without any regard to the laws, and confer together,
not for the good of the public, but how they may
bed promote their own fclf-interefted and ambitious
defigns, we prefumed, fince thefc men have dared to
do fo (only to confpirc the ruin of the Common-
wealth) without incurring your difpleafure, that wc
wliO had no other de(ign than to concert ^meafures
for its peace and prefcrvation, (hould not have any
occafion to ftand in fear of reprehenfion. In which
cafe, we fhall not give ourfelves the leaft trouble
about the opinion of others, fince they are fo indif-
ferent concerning what we think of them. The gra-
titude we owe to our Country at firft induced us to
aflemble, and now to prefent ourfelves before you,
magnificent Signiors, to complain of thofe evils
which (though very great indeed already) are daily
increafing upon us •, and at the fame time, to ofl^er
you any affiftance to remedy them that is in our power.
For how difficult foever the undertaking may appear,
we donét defpair of fuccefs, provided you lay afide
all private friendfliip and connexion, and fupport
your authority by that of the public. The common
difeafe of the other cities in Italy has at laft invaded
ours, and is continually eating deeper and deeper into
its vitals. For after this province had (haken ofi^ the
yoke of the Emperors, all its towns, for want of due
reftraint, ran into extremes, and from liberty dege-
nerated into downright licentioufnefs, making fuch
laws and inftituting fuch governments as were rather
calculated to foment and fupport faftions, than main-
tain freedom. From this fource are derived all the
dcfeéls and diforders that we labour under. No
friejdfliip or union is to be found amongft the Citi-
zens, except betwixt fuch as are accomplices in fome
wicked defign either againft their neighbours or thejr
Country. All religion and fear of God are utterly
extinguifbed. Promifes and oaths are no further
binding than they ferve to promote fome private ad-
vantage, an^d taken, not with any defign to obferve

tlicm,

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I70 T H E H I S T O R Y Book III.

them, but as ncceffary means to facilitate the perpe-
tration of villanies, which are even honoured and ap-
plauded as good condu(5t and policy if they meet
with fuccefs. From hence it comes to pafs, that the
moft wicked and abandoned wretches are admired as
able enterprizing men ; whilft the innocent and con-
fcientious are laughed at and defpifed as fools. And
certainly there is no fort of corruption that may not
be found in the cities of Italy, nor any people in the
world fo thoroughly difpofcd to receive the infcftion
as t^dfe of Florence. The young men are indolent
and effeminate ; the old, lafcivious and contemptible.
Without regard to age or fex, every place is full of
the moft licentious brutality, for which, the laws
themfelves, though good and wholefome, are yet fo
partially executed that they do not afford any remedy*
This is the real caufc of that felfifh fpirit which now
fo generally prevails, and of that ambition, not for
true glory, but for Places which dilhonour the pof-
feffors. Hence proceed thcfe fatal animofities, thefc
feeds of envy, revenge and faftion, with their ufual
attendants, executions, banifhments, depreflion of
good men and the exaltation of the wicked. For the
good, confiding in their virtue and uprightncfs, have
not recourfe to any bafe means, like wicked men, to
advance, or even fo much as defend themfelves : fo
that they generally fall miferable vidtims to the cruelty
^nd opprclTion of tyrants, and die in poverty and
difgrace. Such dreadful and pitiable examples, both
give rife and ftrcngth to parties : for the Evil wfli
naturally form one fide, either out of avarice or am-
bition; ahd the Good another, out of fear and nc-
ceffity : and what is ftill more dangerous, the authors
and ringleaders of them varnifli over their pernicious
defigns with fome facred title : for being in reality
enemies to all liberty, they more effedually deftroy it,
by pretending to defend the rights, fometimes of the
Nobility, fometimes of the Commons; fince the
fruit which they expeft from a viftory, is not the
glory of having delivered their Country, but the fa-

tisfadion

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Book ìU. OF FLORENCE. 171

tisfa<aion of having conquered the oppofite party and
fecured the government of the State to themfelves.
And when they have once obtained that, there is no
ibrt of cruelty, injuftice, or rapine that they arc not
guilty of. From thence forward, laws are enaólcd,
not for the commofi good but for private ends : from
that time both war and peace are made and alliances
concluded, not for the honour of the public, but to
gratify the humours of particular men. And if the
other cities of Italy are full of thefe diforders, cer-
tainly ours overflows : our laws, our ftat.utes, and 51-
vil ordinances are made to indulge the caprice, or
ferve the ambition of the conqueror, not to promote
the true intercft of a free people ; fo that one faftion
is no fooner extinguiflied but another is lighted up.
A city that endeavours to fupport itfelf by^ parties in-
ftead of laws, can never be at peace : for when one
prevails and is left without oppofition, it neceflarily
divides again ; the people not being ablp to defend
themfelves by the ordinary laws which were at firft
made for their prefervation. The truth of this is
fufficiently confirmed both by the ancient and modern
diflcnfions, that have happened in our own city.
When the Ghibelines were depreflcd, every one
thought the Guelphs would then have lived in peace
and fecurity : and yet it was not long before they di-
vided into the fadions of the Neri and Bianchi. When
the Bianchi were reduced, new commotions arofc,
fometimcs in favour of the exiles, fomctimes betwixt
the Nobility and the people : and to give that away
to others which we either could not or would no^
poffefe quietly ourfelves, we firft committed our H-
oerties into the hands of King Robert, then of his
Brother, next of his Son, and laft of all to the mercy
of the Duke of Athens, never fettling or repofing
under any government ; as people that could nei*
ther be fatisfied with being free, nor fubmit to live
in flavery. Nay fo much was our State inclined to
divifion, that rather than acquiefce under the govern*
ment of a King^ it meanly proftitutcd itfelf to the

tyranny

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172 THE HISTORY Book III.

tyranny of a vile and pitiful Agobbian. The Duke
of Athens indeed ought not to be mentioned, for the
honour of this city : the remembrance however of
bis infolence and oppreflion might have taught us to
behave more wifely for the future. Yet no fooner
was he expelled but we took up arms again, and
fought againft each other with more rancour and in-
veteracy than ever we had done before, till at laft the
ancient Nobility were entirely fubdued and lay at the
mercy of the people : and it was then the general
opinion there would be no more fadlions or troubles
io Florence, fince thofe were humbled whofe infup-
portable pride and ambition had been the chief bc-
cafion of them. But we now fee by experience, how
little confidence is to be put in the judgment of
man : for that pride and ambition which was thought
to be utterly extinguifticd by the fall of the Nobi-
lity, now fprings up again amongft the people, who
begin to be equally impatient for authority, and afpirc
with the fame vehemence to the firft offices in the
Commonwealth ; and having no other way to obtain
their end, but by domeftick diffcnfions, they revive
the antiquated diftindions of Guelphs and Ghibelines,
which it would have been happy for this city never
to have known *. And that nothing may be ftable
and permanent, in this world, it feems the will of
Heaven that certain families Ihould fpring up in all
Commonwealths to be the peft and ruin of them,

• Schach Abas, who fat on the throne of Perfia, from 1585 to
1629, and is called one of the greatelt Princes that Kingdom ever had, /
(tltough his reign was in many refpeé^^ very cruel and tyrannical)
advifcd his fucceflbr to fow divifion amongft his fubjcfts, if he hoped
to Uve in peace ; that fo by putting himfelf fometimes at the head of
cnc party, and fometimes of another, he might balance them as he
pleaied, and reign in fecurity. Divide & impera. A horrible maxim»
indeed ! hut he had praftifed it himfelf, and by various arts and
means, rather worthy of a tyrant or an enemy, than the father of his
ppAple, raifed two fadtions m every city of his kingdom, which con-
tinued till the laft great revolution there, for which thofe divifions
tiid, paved the way. Hiftoire de la Revol. de Perfe, pf. 84, 85. The
(june fatal fyftem of politics has been adopted in many other countries,
but with little peace to the fi?vereign, and infinite diftraQion amongft
the fubjecls.

o(

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Book in. O F F L O R E N C E. 175

Of which, our own city can produce more inftaiKCs
perhaps than any other; fincc it owes its miferiesand
diftraétions not merely to one or two, but to feveral
of thofe families : as Brft to the Buondelmonti and
Uberti, next to the Donati and Cerchi, and now, to
our fhame be it fpoken, to the Ricci and AibizL
We have not enumerated our many paft divifions,
nor raked lb deep irtto our corruption, in order to
terrify or difcour>age you, but to point out their
caufes» and by putting you in mind of them, to
(hew that we have not- forgot them ourfclves ; and
at the fame time to conjure you not to let fuch cx-
aniples make you defpair of providing any rcmc<^
for the prcfent. For at that time, the power of
thofe ancient families was fo great, and their intcrcft
with other Princes, fo confiderable, that neither the
laws nor the authority of the Civil Magiftratc were
able to controul them : but at this day, when the
Emperor has no power, nor the Pope any influence
here, and all Italy, particularly this City, is reduced
to fuch a ftate of equality, as to be able to govera
itfelf, where is the difficulty ? wliat impediawnt re-
mains, why this Commonwealth, above ail others^
and in fpight of former examples to the contrary,
may not only be united, but reformed and impi-ovod
by new Laws and Conftitutions, provided yourLord«
(hips will be pleafed to make them : to which %ood
work we earneltly exhort you, not out of any private
pique or refentment, but compaffion to our country.
We acknowledge the ufk to be very difficult, but
hope you will, for the prefcnt at leaft, put a flop to
that madnefs, that virulent contagion which threatens
us with utter ruin. You muft not impute the fac-
tions of our anceftors to the nature of the men, but
to the iniquity of the times, which being now al*
tered, afford this city fair hopes of better fortune ;
and our difordcrs may be corrcded by the inftitution
of wholefome Laws, by a prudent reftraint of am-
bition, by prohibiting fuch cuftoms as tend tonourifli
and propagate faction, and by fubftituting others

that

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174 TT H E H I S T O R Y Book llh

tbat may conduce to maintain liberty and good ciril
government. And it would be much more gracious
and acceptable, if you would now do that voluntarily ^
and under the favour of the Laws, which otherwifc
you will either provoke the people to do thcmfclvcs,
or compel you to do by violence."^
; The expediency of this advice had great weight
with the Signiory, cfpecially as it was very conform*
able to their own fentiments ; and therefore» in com-»
pliaace with the exhortations and authority of thofe
that gave it, they commifiioned fifty-fix citizens io
frmàde for the fafety of tèe CommonweaUb ^. But as
moft people are fitter to preferve good order than
to reftore it when loft> tbefe Citizens took more pains
to extinguifb the prefent fadions, than to provide
againft new ones, which was the reafon that they fuc»
c«eded in neither : for they not only did not uke
atway the occafion of frelh ones, but made one of
thofe that were then fubfifting, fo much more power-
fìA than the other, that the Commonwealth was in
great danger. They dfcprived three of the family of
the Albizi, and as many of the Ricci, of all fhare in
the Magiflracy for three years, except in fuch branches
of it, as were particularly appropriated to the Guelph
party; of which number Pietro degli Albizi, and
fjguccione de* Ricci were two. They prohibited all
Citizens from coming into the palace at any time
when the Signiory were not fitting. They decreed,
that in cafe of battery, or difturbance in the poflcf-
fion of his eftate, any man fliould have liberty granted
him, upin petitioning the Council, to accufc the ag-
greflbr, and make him anfwer to the charge before
the heads of it, who fhould have the power of com-
pelling him to fubmit to their fcn^nce, if guilty.
Thefc provifions bore much harder upon the Ricci
than the Albizi : for though they were equally ftig-
matized by them, yet the Ricci were the greater fuf-

• After the manner of the old Romans, who ufed to give a charge
to tbcir Ma^jftratcs in times of danger, to take care, •* nc quid de-
trimenti capiat Refpublica/*

ferers.

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Book IIL O F F L O R E N C £• 175

ferers* PJctro, indeed, was exdqdcd from the palace
of the Signiory^ but he had free admittance into that
gf the Guelphs, where his authority was very great ;
and though he, and his aflfociates were forward enough
in their admonitions befofc, they became much for*
warder after this mark of di%race ; and new acci* '
dem^ occurred, which ftill more and more enflamed
tlieir refentment,^

Gregory XL was Pope at that time, and refiding
at Avignon, ^s his late Prcdeccffors had done, h«
governed Italy by Legates, who beiog haughty and
ni(3iacious» had grievoufly oppreffed feveral of the ci-
ties One of thtfe Legates being then at JBologtu^
took the advantage of a fcarcity, which happened at
tfadt time in Floreiice, and refolved to make himfelf
iDdfter of Tttfcany. For which purpofe, he ootooly
refufed t» ft*pply the Florentines mèi pdrovtÌk>os, but
invaded their territories with a great army, very early
in the fpring, in order to fpoil their next hanreft 1
homing by that memn to make %n eafy conqueft, when
they were in a manner both famifhed and difarmoi i
and, probably, bisdcfign would have focceeded, if
the forces he employed had not been mercenary and
trorxupt : for the Florentines having no oeher re-
medy, had recourfc to bribery, and gave his army an
h«u»lred and thirty thoufand Florins to dcfift from
itheir enterprize.

It is in the power of any man to begin a war, bwt
i^t to end one, when he pleafes. The commenoe-
ment of this was owing to the ambition of the JLegaeet
and the profccution of it to the refcncment of the Flo-
rentines, who immediately entered into a confederacy
with Bernabò Galeazzo, and all the other ftates that
were at variance with the Church : after which, they
appointed eight Citizens for the management of it,
whom they inverted with an abfolme power of pro-
ceeding, and dilburfiirg money without controul or
account. This war againft the Pope, notwithftand-
ing Uguccione was dead, gave frefti courage to thote
that had followed the party of the Ricci, who, in op*

pofition

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17* T H E H I S T Ò R Y Book IIF.

pofition to the Albizi, had, upon all occafions, fa-
voured Bernabò, and appeared againft the Church ;
and efpccially becaufc all the Eight were enemies to
the Guclphs. Upon which, Pietro degli Albizi, Lapa
da Caftiglionchio, Carlo Strozzi, and fome others,
united themfelves more firmly together, to make head
againft their enemies : fo that whilft the Eight were
bufily employed in their department, and the others in
admonitions, the war was carried on for three years,
and did not end till the death of the Pope. It was
profecuted^ however, with fuch vigour, and general
fatisfaftion, that the Eight were not only continued in
their office from year to year, as R)ng as it lafted, but
got the title of Santi ; notwithftanding they had dc-
fpifed the cenfures of the Pope, made free with the
treafure and revenues of their Churches, and forced
the Clergy to perform the duties of their funftion.
So much did the Citizens at that time prefer the good
of their Country to all other concerns j and fo zealous
were they to convince the Church, that as they had
power to defend it whilft they were its friends, fo they
were able to diftrcfs it now they were its enemies ;
having aótually raifed a rebellion quite through the
States of Romagna, La Marca, and Perugia. But
whilft they made fo vigorous a war upon the Pope,
they could not defend themfelves againft the captains
and their adherents. The envy and indignation with
which the Guelphs looked upon the Eight, made
them grow fo bold and infolent, that they often af-
fronted and abufed them, as well as the reft of the
principal Citizens. The Captains were no lefs arro-
gant ; they were even more dreaded than the Sig-
niory, and men went with greater awe and reverence
to their houfcs than to the palace j fo that all the Am-
bafiadors that came to Florence, were inftruded to
addrefs themfelves to the Captains.

After the death of Pope Gregory, the city had no
war abroad, but was in great confuGon at home : for
on one hand, the Guelphs were become fo audacious,
that they were no longer fupportabk i and on the

other.

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éook ut. Ò F FLORENCE. 177

other, there was no vifible way to fupprefs the^rtì : it
Was nectfiàry therefore, to take up arms, and leave
the event to t^ortuhe. Oh the fide of the Guelphs,
were all the ancient Nobility, and the greater pare of
the more powei'ful Citizens ; of whom as Wc have
fa^d, Lapo, Piefro, and Carlo, were the chief. On
the other, Were all the inferior fort of people, headed
by the Eight, and joihed by Georgio Scali, Tomafò
Strozzi,^ tìfie Ricci, the Alberti, and the Medici: the
feft of the rnultitude, às it almoft always happens in
fuch cafes, joined with the difcohtcnted party. The
power of their advferfaries feemed very conQdcrablc
to the heads of the Gutlphs, and their danger great,
if at any tirhe a Signiofy that was hot on their fide
fliould attempt to deprefs them. Thinking it pru-
dent, therefore, to guai-d againft fuch an event, they
had a meeting, aild having particularly, inquired into
the ftate and condition of the city, they found the.
Xinmbcr of perfons who had been admonifhed, was
fo great, that they had difobliged moft of the Citi-
zens, ahd made them their enemies. In thcfc cir-
cumftances, they thought there was no other remedy,
how they had deprived them of their honours, but to
banifli them out of thè City alfo, to feize upon the
Palace of the Signiory, ahd to put the government of
the State wholly ihto the hands of their own Crea-
tures, accordine to the example of the Guelphs their
predeceflbrs, whofe quiet and fecurity was entirely
owing to the total expulfiòn.of their enemie.*?. This,
propofal was agreed to without any oppofition ; but
they differed about the time of putting it in exe-
cution.

It was then the month of April, in the year 1378,
when Lapo judging it unfafe to defer the matter any
longer, reprefented to them that delays were always
dangerous, but more particularly in their fituation^
confidering that Sylveftrode Medici, who was an open
and declared enemy to their party, might be chofen-
Gonfalonier in the next Signiory. Pit tro degli Albizi
was of a different opinion,^ and thought it better to

Vol. I. N wait

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1^8 T H E H I S T G R Y Book III^

wait a little longer, as fome forces vyrould be neceffarjr
to fupport thcrii) which could not be got together
privately ; and to raife them publickly would be to
run themfelves into manifeft danger. , His advice
therefore was, that they Ihould have patience till
inidfucnmer day, which being one of their greatcft
feftivals^ and at a time when vaft numbers of peopk
refort to the city, they might introduce what forces
they plcafcd into it without danger of being difco-
veredr And to obviate their apprehenfion of &yl-
)ofed to have him admoniflied \ and if
anfwer the purpofe, to manage it fo in
mborfation for magiftrates» lince the
w empty, that either his name, or that
Candidate in his ward fiiould be drawn,
difqualify him for filling the Office of
This opinion was approved, and they
cfer their wndcrtaJiing, though Lapo
/illingly into it v allcd^ing, that no op-
d ever be complete m every circum*
hat thofe who waited for fuch a one
ver attempt any thing of moment, or.
:d in it if they did. However, they
admonifh Sylveftro, but they did not
:ir defign of excluding him -, for the
ware of the trick they intended to put
)ntinued to defer the imborfation: fo
, the Son of Alamanno de Medici, was
ifalonier. As he was born of one of
derable families of the Commoners, he
r to fee the people oppreflfed by a few
grandees : refolving therefore to put an ertd to their
infolence, and finding himfclf favoured by the people
and fupported by feveral of the principal Citizens,
he communicated his defign to Benedetto Alberti,
Tomafo Strozzi, and Georgio Scali, who all con-
curred with him and promifed him their affiftance in
it. In confequcnce of this, they fecretly prepared a
Decree by which the laws againft the Nobility wer«
to be revived, the authority of the Captains re-
• ' '- ' trenched.

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Book lit. OF FLORENCE. ^79

trenched, and thofe who had been admoni(hed, ad-
mitted into the Magiftracy. And as it fecmcd the
beft way both to propofe and have it paflfcd at one
time, if poflible, fince it was firft to be prefentcd to,
the Colleges, and. afterwards, confidered in the Coun-
<;ils, Sylveftro being prefidcnt (and confcqucntly ia
a manner Prince of the city for a time) caufcd both
a College and à Council to be called the fame morn-
Tng ; and coming firft to the College, in which he
had but few friends, he propofed the Decree to them
which he had prepared : but it was thrown out as an
innovation, and he could not get it paflcd. Seeing
fiimfelf defeated therefore in the firft ftep to obtain
it, he pretended to go out upon fome neceflary oc-
cafiori, and went away to the Council without being
perceived -, where, ^having placed himfelf in fuch a
mahher that he might both be.feen and heard by the
whole afTcmbly, he told them, ** That he thought he
had been appointed. Gonfalonier,, not to take cogni-
sance ^ of private, caufes, which had their proper
judges, but to'fupermtènd the State, to correét the
infolence of the great, and to moderate or alter thofe
laws, which nianifeftly tended to the ruin of the
Commonwealth. That -he had (pared no pains in
. either, and made the beft provifion that was poflible ;
but that the malice and perverfejiefs of fome met)
was fo great, and had raifed fuch an oppoGtion to
liis good defigns, that he found himfelf incapable of
doing the leaft fervice to the publick, and them fo
far from being inclined to deliberate upon any thing
he propoftd, that they would not fo much as hear of
. it. That as he plainly faw it was not in his power to
be of any further ufe to his Country, he knew nojt
for what reafon he fliould continue any longer in an
office which he either did not really defervc, or was
thought Ainworthy of by others. Upon which account,
he would retire to privacy, and leave the people to
chufc another perfon who might either have more vir-
tue or better fortune than himfelf/* After which,

N 2 he

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rSo T H E H I S T O R Y Book ItU-

he got up anxi' left the Council, a« if he would go di-
ftóly to his own houfe.

iJpon this, fuchof the Coumcif as v^ere in the fè-
cret, and others that wifhed for a' change, faifed a'
tumult, ta which the Signiory and Colleges inimc-
diatèly repaired ; - and feeing their Gonfalonier ft-
tiring,- threy obliged him, partly by their authority
and partly by their rntreaties, to return to the Coun-
cil, which was in great confufion. Many of the
principai Citizens were threatened and treated with.
the utmoft infolence": amongft the reft Carlo Strozzi'
was collared by an artificer, and would certainly have
been knocked on the head, if fome of the by-ftanders:
had not refcued him with much difficulty. But the
perfon that made the greateft difturbance was Bene-
detto degli Alberti,, who got mto one of the window^
of the Palace, and catted owt to the people to arm :*
upon which, the Piazza was inftantly full 'of armed
men, and the Colleges were obliged to do that by
fear, which they would not come inro when they were
pctirioned. ^ In the mean tfme, the Captains of the
parties had affembled as rriany of the Citizens as they
could in their Palace^ to confult what courfe was ta
be uken in order to prevent the paffing of thitf De-
cree : but when they faw fo great a tumult, and were
inform^ed what had happened in the Council, they all
thought proper to return to their own houfes.

But whofoever he may be, that intends to make any
alteration in a Commonwealth, and to efFeét it by rail-
ing the multitude, will find himfelf deceived if he
thinks he can flop where he will, and conduft it as'
he pleafes. The defign of Sylveltro in promoting
that law was only to have quieted and fecured the
city ; but the thing took a very different turn * : for

• When circumftahces of tiTne will not a3mit of alterations, thd*
necefTary, it is much better to let things remain as they are, than to
atteraut a reformation j fince the remedy perhaps may prove worfc
than the difeafe. It is prudent in this cafe, to imitate the praóHce of
phyficians, with regard to certain patients, whom they will not allo-^

the

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Book ITI. OF FLORENCE. i8r

1ÓÌC people were ^n fucb a ferment, that the (hops
^ere fhiit up, the hpufe^ barricadofjd, and noa^jy ^
moved their goods for fecurity into the Churches and
Convents j every one apprehending fomc fatal con-
fequenCiC. All the Coipp^ies of the Arts aflemblcd,
and e^ch of them appointed a Syndic : the Signiory
called the Colleges together, and were a whole day
in confultation with the Syndics bow to provide fofnc
means for compofing thefe difordcrs to the fatisfjittioa .
of all p^rties^; bgt as there was great variety of opi-
liions amongft them, nothing was concluded. The
,next day the Arts drew oot their feveral Companies;
.which the Signiory being ixiformed of, and apprc^
ftending what might happen, called the Council to-
gether to confidcr of a proper remedy: but as ibon
as it was affembled the tumult increafed, and ih^
ftandards of the Arts, with a confiderable number of
men under arms, immediately took pofleffion of the
Piazza. Jn order therefore, to give the Arts and the
reft o/ ^he people fome hopes of fatisfaclion, and to
prevent further rnifchief, the Council gave a full
power (which the Florentines call Baliaj to the Sig»
niory, Collegr^, the Eight, the Captains of the Par*
tics, and the Syndic.s orthe Arts, to reform the State
in fuch a manner as they fhould think moft advan-
tageous for tjié public. But whjift'they weije em-
ployed in this, fowf of the inferior Companies of the
Arts, at the inftigation of certain perfons who wanted
to revenge the late injuries which they had rectiyed
from the Guelphs, detached ^hemfclves from the reft,
and went to the houle of JLapo da Caftiglionchio,
which they plundered and burnt. J^apo himfclf,
when he faw the Signiory at the bead of this attack
upon the Guelphs, and the people all in arms, hav-
ing no other remedy but cither to a|pfcond .ox fly,

to take pbyfick ; becaufe it would inentably ftir up many ill hdmoiiri
io their bodies, which are lefs dangerous in a ftare of coagulation
than of agitation. ** Expedlebat, quafi xgrx fauciscque, Reipyblica»^
requiefcere quoraodo cunque, ne vulnera curatione ^là fcfcii^dereiio^
Jt^r/* SaysFJoius, 1. iii* c. 23. • 1 ' i

N 3 fyett

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t%i X H E HISTORY Bòak IIU

firft of ^11 taok fanfluary in the Church of Santa^
Croce, and afterwards fled to Cafentino, in the habit;
^a Monk, where he was ofcen heard to condemn^
Pietro degli Albizi for having piu off their defiga
tijl St. John's, day, and himfelf for having concurred!
in it. But f ietro and Carlo Strozzi, upon the firflj
rumour of the tumult, only concealed themfelves^ in,*
hopes that their friends and relations would have in-?
tereft enough to fecure their (lay in Florence when ic.
• was over.

The hogfe of Lapo being thus burnt and rifled,
fcveral others underwent the fame fate, either out ot
public hatred or private malice j (as mifchief is gc-'
nerally foon propagated when once begun) and to go^
through with their work the more completely, thqy^
broke open the Jails, and fet the .prifoners at liberty:
after which, they plundered the Monaftery of St. Ag^.
noli, and the Convent di Santo Spirito, into which^
fcveral of the Citizens had conveyed their moft valu-
able efl^efts. N'or. would the public chamber havei
^fcaped their fury, if they had not been reflraixied b^
the prefence, and authority- of one of the Sipniory,,
who being mounted on horfeback, and attended bjj
a body of armed men, oppofed himfelf to the' rage,
of the multitude in the moft effeólua) manner he,
could. This commotion being thus in fome meafure-
quieted, partly by the authority of the Signiory, and^
partly by the approach of night, the Balia proceeded'
the next morjiing to requalify the Ammoniti, thòughj
with an injunftion not to exercife any funftion in the,
Magiftracy during the next three year*. They re-'
pealed fuch laws as had been made by the Guelph^^l
to the prejudice of the. other Citizens, and proclaim-
ed Lapo da Caftiglionchio and his àflbciatcs Rebels,
\^lth'many others that had incurred thq hatred of the,
public : after which, the names of the new Signiory'
were publiflied, and, Luigi Guicciardini declared their,
(Jonfalonjer. As they were all efteemed men of pa-;
cSfic difpofitions, and defirous of public tranquillity/
gfeat hopes were conceived that Jhere would^ be no.

^ , ' more

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5ot)k UT. O F F L d R E N C E. i^?

more tamults. However, the (liops were not openecf,
the Citizens ftill continued armed, and ftrong^uarcjs
Vférc placed in all pajts of the city : fo that the Sigr
niors were not publickly invefted with the Magi-
ftracy, or with the ufual pomp ; but pritracely in the
Palace, and without any ceremony. They righcl)^
concluded, that the beft and moft neceflary fervice
they could do the p:ublic in the beginning of their
office, would be to compote the city : for which pur-
pofe, they commanded the people to lay down their
arms, the {hops to be opened, and every one that hacf
been called out of the Country to the affiftarice 0^
atny Citizen, immediately to depart. They planteJ
guards in the feveral ftreets ; fo that if thofe that
were admoniOied could have been content» the whofó
city was In a fair way of being quieted. But as they^
thought it hard to wait three years longer befofe they^
could enjoy any fliare in the Magiftracy, the Arts(
having ^flembled again to obtain them farisfafiion iti
that point, demanded of the Signióry that for the
good and, quiet of the city, it (hould be decreed that
no Citizen for the future ihould be admoniflied as a
^Ghibeline, who had ever been one of the Signioryoi*
the College, or the Captains of the companies, ot
the Confuls, or Syndics of any of tHe arts : and fur-
ther, that a new imborfation Ihould be made of the
Guelph party and the old one burnt. Thefe de-
riiands were readily granted both by the Signiory and'
the Councils, in hopes of preventing any further tu-'
mult. But as it feldom happens that men who covet*
the property of others and long for revenge, are fa-
tisfied with a bare reftitution of their own, (bme who
cxpefted to advance their fortune:? by exciting com-^
motions, endeavoured to perfu^de the Artifiters that
they could never be fafe, except many of their ene-
mies were either banifhed or cue off: which fuggef-'
tions" being reprefented to the Signiory, they fum-^
iDoned the Magiftrates of the Arts and their Syndics,
%o attend them 5 and when they were aHembled^^

N 4 Lui|f

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i84 , THE FJ I S T q R Y Bpol^c IH4

Luigi Guicciarjjini, iheir Qonfalonier, addrciTcd him-
, fclf IO tb^fn in the following manner :

*^ If thefe Geotlerpcn as vyéll as myfelf had not
long agp been acquainted with the temper and geniu^
pf this city, and obferved th^t it§ foreign wars were
no fooner ended, but diflVnfions began at home, w^
Ihould have bep more aUrrned and more incenfed at
the tumults which have lately happened ; but as things
that are familiar to us become lefs affedinjg, we havq
torne them with feme degree of patience; efpecially
as we were confciqus to ourfelvcs that the caufes of
theip could nqt be jmput^d to any' naifconduél on ouc
part, and had reafon to hope that they, like all for-
tpcr commotions, would, foaietinie or other h^ve an
?nd, upon our complying with fo many and fuch ex-
travagant demands, put finding you are fo far froni
peing fatisjficd, ^s ypii ought to bg, th^t you are con-
triving fre(h mifchiefs againft your fellow Citizens,
^nd ehdl^aVoUring to procure their banifhmenq, we
^oqfefs we are highly difpleafed at the malice an4
tafenefs of your proceedings. W^ can affur^ yuu,
with great truth, that if wf had apprehended th^
^ity would have'bei^n in the lca|l danger, dyring the;
time of our Magiftracy, either by fiding \yith or,
againft you, we would have declined that honour by.
a voluntarily exile. But prefuming we had people to
deal with, who had foqie degree of hgmanity, and
love of their Country ftiil left, we chearfully ac-
cepted it in hopes of getxing thp better of your Am-
bition 3t laft by our Jenity, and readinefs to oblige
yop, Wf have the misfortune hovvever, to Tee that
the morp we grant, the more (hamelefs and arrogant^
are yoyr demands. 'An^ if we are obliged to tell
you fo, it is not with any dcfign to increafe your,
difcontents, but to convince yoy of your error:
others perhaps may flatter yog, but we (ball always
think it our duty to tell you plainly, , and without
difguife, what we think is for your good. What i^
tnere, in the name of God, that you can reafonably
'aik tnorc of us? you defired to have the Captains of

> •' • ^ • *^ ^

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PooklH. OF F L O ]^ E N C E. >$jf

fhc parties deprived of their authority : they have
Jjeen deprived. You infifted that the old Inibor^
fation (hould be burnt, and a new one made; wecon-
fcnted. You wanted to have thofc rcinftated in the
Magiftr^cy that had been admoniihed : it has been
granted. At your interccflion, we pardoned fuch at
h^d beeh guilty of burqing houfc^ and robbing
Churches, and banifhed many of our principal Citir
zens at your infti^ation. To gratify you, the gran-
dees are bridled wich new laws, and every thing done
that might give you content. Where then can we
cxpeft your demands will flop-,, or how iong will
you thus abufc your liberty ? don't you perceive,
that whilft we fubmit with patience, you (hew no mo-
deration in your Vidtory?. whither will your diflèn-
fions at laft hurry this poor city ? can you ever for-
get "how Caftruccio, a private Citizen of Lucca^
;jivailed himfelf of fuch Divifions to diftrefs it ? an4
J^ow the Duke of Athens, from an inferior Com-
mander in your fervice, made himfelf your Lord and
Sovereign ? on the contrary, when ye were united,
ijeither the ArchbiOiop of Milan, nor the Pope him-
felf, wa^ able to cQpe with you; but, after a war
that lafted many years, were forced to Iheath their
fwords with difhonopr. Why then will ye fufFer your
own difpords (\yhen ye have no other enemies^' to
bring a city intp flavery, which fo many powerful
princes f puld n^ver reduce f for what elfc can ye, ex-
petì: fron) your divifions, wh^? from the gopds ye
have already taken, or may hereafter take from your
fellow Citizens, but ft^rvitud^ ^nd poverty f the per-
fpns you plunder, are thofe whofe fortuned and abi-
lities are the defence of the State, and if they fail,
bow muft it be fupported ? >ji^hatpyér is got that way,
cannot laftloogj 4nd then ye hav^ nothing to look
for but rem^dilef? famipe and diftrefs. We there-
fore command you, and, as far as pur dignity wijl al-
low of it, we for onqe intreat you to live quietly,
qnd be content with fuch regulations as we have
cftablilhed ; and if any thing feems wanting to give
* ' - you

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t96 t H E H r S T O R T Book Jit

yoo f^tis&£tion, that you would make it kno^n! Vf'nk
modefty^ and not inflft upor> it with clamour and
iumult : for if your ptquefts' arc reafonable, yoò
snay aflurc yourfclves, they fhall always be complied
with» and ro hawdle left for wicked and defigtiing
men to plot the deftru6tion of your Country, and
confequently of yourfelvcs, under the fhdter of your
ow» wings.**

The reafonablenefi of theiè expoftulations made
fiich. an impreffion upon the audience, that they hum-*
feiy defired the Gonfalonier to accept their thanks^ ac-
knowledged that he had behaved himfclf like an up-
right Magiftrate, and a good Citizen, and ppomiferf
to pay a ready obedience in whatfoever he (hould
command them. To make a trial of them, the Sig-
Biory deputed two Citizens for each of the chief ot^
ficcs, to confu4t with the Symiics of the Arts, what
reformations were moft neceffary to be made in then»
* for tiit good of the publkk, and to report them to
thC'Signiory.

But whilft thcfe things were in agitation, a frefli tu-
mult arofe which was attended with ftill more danger
to the city than the former. The greater part of the
I^te robberies and other mifchiefs had been commit-
ted by the Rabble and dregs of the people ; and thofe
6f them that had been the moft audacious, appre-
liended that when the moft material differences wer&
compofed, they ftiould be called to account for their
crimes, and deferted, as it always happens, by ihofe
very perfons at whofe inftigation they had committed
them. Befides which, the inferior fort of people had-
conceived an hatred againft the richer Citizens, and
principals of the- Arts, upon a pretence that they had
not been rewarded for their paft fervices in pro-
portion to what they deferved. For when the city-
was firft divided into Arts, in the time of Charles the^
Ftrft, there was a proper head or governor appointed
over eaph of them, to whofe jurifdiftion in civil cafcs-
every perfon^ in the feveral Arts was to be fubjeft.
Thefe-Arts or Companies^ as we have faid^ were at-
7 firft

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Book III; OF ?|.OR;ENC]??. if^

i^rft hut iwclve, but afterwards they v^f?re Increafed
%o tweaty-Qj^c^ ^nd i^rrived at fuch pQVfcr aii^ wibo^
lity that ia a few years they ^boUyi cngrpfleU the go^
vernment of tl^c city : and becavfe fpaae were morcw
gnd others lefs. liofio^rable ^mongft thern, th,^ cacao
^y degrees to be diftioguifhpd» ai^d fev^a of thee»
"were called the Greater^ 9fid fourteen thcZ^^, From
this divifion, and othei; rea^on^ before-a^enfioned^
proceeded the arrog^ancc of the Captains of th/& par-i
t;jes : for the Citizens that had fprroerly beeivGuelpbs^
tp which party thofe offices were alwfays.apprppriac«i»
had made it a conftant v^^^ to favqur the gfeatcft
Arts^ and to difcountenance the Itfs, a^d ajl thole
that fided with them ; which chiefly gave occafioo t(^
all the tumults we have hitherto made mention of*.
And, as in the divifion of the people into Arts and

' Corporations, there were njany trades in which the
nieaner fort are ufually occupied, that were not inn
corporated into any diftinót or particular Company ofi
their own, but admitted into any of the others, acn
cording as the Nature of their Craft made them fir^
ix happened that when they were not duly fatisBed foo
their labour, or any otherwife oppreflcd by their maf**
ters, they had no other head to apply to for rcdrefs^
but the Magiftrate of that company, to which the
perfon belonged that employed them, who, they com-,
monly thought, did not do them juftice. Now, ofi
all the Cotnpaoics in the City, that of the. Clothiers -
had then, and ftill has, the moft of this fort of pcon
pie depending upon if, and being nu)re opulent- andt
powerful than any of the reft, it maintained by far
the greater part pf the nuUitudc. The meaner foro
c^ the.pqpplf, therefore, both of this companyand»
the otljjers, wpre highly enraged at fuch treatment v
and b^ing tefrifiefi alfo. at tho. appr^ehcnfion of being/
punilhed for their late outrages, they had frequent
meetings, in the night -, where, confidering what had,

' happened, they reprcfented to each other, tl^e danger,
thqy werie in. And to animate and ignite them all,
one of the boldeft and rnoùr experienced of them,
harangued his Companions in this manner :

dby(^oog4e*^

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tU r HE HISTORY Book TIT,

. •' 'If it was now to be debated, whether, we fhould
etke arms to plunder and burn the houfes of our fel-
low Citizens, and rob the Churches, I fhould be one
of thofe who would think it worthy of great confi*
deration, and perhaps be induced to prefer fecure po-
TCTty to hazardous gain. But fince arnis have been
already taken up, arid much mifchief done, the firft
points to be confidered are, I (hould think, in what
manner we muft fecure ourfelves, and ward off the
penalties we have incurred. If no one (hould give us
this advice, without doubt, Neceflity itfelf would
point it our. You fee, the whole City is full of rage
and complaints againft us, the Citizens are daily in
council, and the Magiftrates frequently aflembfed,
Affurc yourfelves, they are either preparing chains
for u^, or contriving how to raife forces to dcftroy us.
It behoves us, therefore, to have two objefts chiefly
in view, at tliefe confultations : firft, how to avoid
the punifhment due to our late mifdeeds; and in th?.
next place, what means are to be ufed that we may
enjoy a greater degree of liberty and fatisfaftion fot
the future, than we have done hitherto. To come
©ff with impunity for our paft oSenccs, it is necef-
iary, if I may prefume to advife you, to add ftill
more to them, to redouble our outrages, to rifle and
born a' great number of houfes, and artfully depend
upon our numbers for protedion : for where many
are guilty, none are chaftifcd. Small crimes are pu-
BÌ(hed, and great ones ufually rewarded ; and where
many fuflfer, few feek revenge ; a general calamity,
being always borne with more patience, than a parti-
cular one. I lay again, therefore, that to redouble
our crimes, is the fureft way to procure a pardon for
what has been already done, and tp obtain the liberty
wc defirc ^ : nor is jl)cre any difficulty to difcourage

• Monfieur Balzac iays, frojn Phalaris's Epiftles, " It has always
l^een a general opinion, that they who riie in aims againft their coun-
try, or their prince, are in a manner under a neceflity to do evil^
hetaufe they find it un(àfe to do good. They dare not become in-
>iiacent> left they ftiould expofe thcmf^lvcs to the fevefity of thofft

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by Google

Booklirr OF FLORE NOE. ftf^

US. The enierprize is cafy, and the fuGcefs not to be.
doubted of. Our cnctnies are opulent, indeed^ but
divided : their difunion will:give us the viftory, and
their ricbes, when we have got them, will maintain
it. Let not the antiquity of their blood, npr the
meanncfs of our own, with which they fo inibkntlf
upbraid us^ cither dazzle or overawe -you. ; AH fa-
milies having the fame original, arc of equal anti-
quity ^ : nor has nature fhcwn any partiality in the
formation of mankind. Let both fides be ftripped.
naked, and both will be found alike. Clothe your*
felveà in their robes, and them in your rags ; and thea
you will appear the Nobles, and they the Plebeians :
for it is poverty alone that makes the real diS^rencc-
betwixt us. It fills mc with jult concern, indeed, to
hear that fome of you repent forfooth of what you.
have done, and out of a qualm of confcience, re-
folvc to proceed no further. If that be the cafe, L
have be^n miftaken in my judgment, and you are
not the men 1 once thought y9U. Neither confcience^
nor the fear of infamy, ought- to terrify you: foe
thofe that fucceed in their attempts (let them hav^
tifcd what means fq'ever) are never upbraided with
them, or called by Ignominious names : and as for
confcience, you hiave no reafon to give yourfelves any
trouble about it. When .famine,, and racks, an4
dungeons, are fure to be our pprtion, what greater
terrors can there be in Hell ? confider the courfc ^i
this world V you will find the rich, the great, and the
powerful, have arrived at all. their wealth, and granr
dcur*^ and authority, either by violence or fraud : and

taw», againft. which they have offended I they continue therefore in
tfieir crime», becaufe they think men will not be fatisfied with theif
repentatlfce "^ -«

• This is a conftant topic with ringleaders of tumult and feditioni
we find it urged by the famous Gabrini Rienzi, in the revolution he
occalioned at Rome, by Maflianello to the rabble of Naples, and Wat
Tylers Chaplain in the Kentifti infurreftion, during the reign of '
Kichard il. who Was fa ingenious to veriify it in the following
manner' i

When Adam delvM and Eve fpan^ >♦

Who was then a Gentleman ?

whea

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19» T H E » I S T Ó R Y Book Ì\L

ythtiì onde they arc in poffcffion of them, yoU fee with
vfhat oftiMitation they gild over the fotilnefs of their
vrftn^atiofts, with' the Unjcrft, but glorious titles of
conqueft and good policy. Obferve, on the other
hand, ^at generally becomes of thofe who arc cither
too fttipid or too pufiHanimous to follow their ex-
atnples : they arc buried IH poverty and obfcurity, or
wear away thcit Kves in Qaviery and contempt. Ho*
li^ft fervants arc fervants for ever, and good men
rfre always poor : whilft the bold and refolute foon
free themfclves fram bondage, and the fraudulent
apnd Capacious frotn indigence and diftréfs^. God and
Nature have givch every roan the means of making
his fortune : and il is fooher and mòre eaflly done by
foi-ce Or circuinvehtioni than by honefty arid plain
dcaUrtg. Hinte it is, that we fee mankind iri general
fa thorc prone to rapine than induUr^, to evil rhart
good. Hence it is that we devour each' others
and he that is weakeft is at all times fiire to cotnc off
with the wofft. Force, therefore, is always to he
tjfed, iK^hén there is ari opjiortuiiity : and ^hat faifef
opportunity than the ptti'ent, can we ever hope fof
from the hands of Fòrtiirtè? The Cmiens are di-
vided; the Signiòry irrefolutci the Magilirates fright-
ed: fo that bcfbrfe they cah come to any deterrai ^
hation, the ntetferwiH be over; and we fliall either
be mafters of the Wholi^ City, dr of fo great a part
cf it, a3 will not ohljr ptòcure us prardon fbr'what IS
paft, but enable tfs to kWp our enemies in fuffi-
cicnt ^we for the futilfe: 1 corrftft the refolution ii
ibold aiwJ dangerous* i but where the riecdfity is ur^

* In tMs Tpcecli, t^fifcK Is òtlierVifè iil èbaraàer, there ts, how-
ever, this hrconfiftency, that iri thfc formef- part of if, th^Plebeiaft
having reprefented the enterprise « aS cafy, and the fuccefs not to bfc

^ "doubted of;'* now Ùiyè, he confeffes the refdJutipn i^ ** bold and,
dangerous." This miay either bè an overlight in the author, or puN

^■.jofely put into the niouth of the Speaker, who is not to be con-
fidcrcd as an orator, but an ilTitèrate rough man, provoked by op-

* jpfcfTton, and blinded by Kis jJafHons to fuch a degree, that whilft he
18 earneftly recommending revenge, be forgets what he )ias faid be-
fore, and contradicts hlmfelf, as it generally happens upon fnch oc-
cafiont. The latter perhap^V ^^S ^^ ^^^ cai^ j lince Machiavel fjiys,

gent,

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Book III. OFFLORENCE. ipt

genr, boldnefs becomes prudence, »nd dauger, m
great undertakings^ is alwaj^ delpifed by brave auid
courageous men. Thofe enterprises that are begun
with peril, for the moft part are crowned w;th glory i
and men fcldom extricate tbcBifelvts from one dzQ^
ger, but by rili^uiog a greaoer. Befnies^ as we have
notbipg but prifons and tortures, and death before
our eyes at prefent, we have lefs to fear in behaving
ourfelves like men» than from defpair, and giving up
ali for loft : for in otrt cafe our deftrucHon is certain;
and in the other, there is a poffibility of fuccefs*
How often have I heard you curfe the infatiable ava«
rice bf your Talk-mafters ? how often groan under
the injuliice of your Magiftratcs ? now is your rimfCi
ijot only to fhake off the yoke, but to retaliate their
opprtffions. Time has wings, opportunity flies away^
and when once paft, are never to be recalled* Yoa
fee what preparations they arc making; let us be be*-
fcre-hand with them/ If we ftrikc the firft blow^ wf
are fure of victory, to the ruin of our enemies, and
the exaltation of ourfelves ; for it is, an enterpriie
that will honour many of us, and fecure us all."

This fpeech io inflamed his hearers, who before
vere fufficiently ripe for mifchief, that they deter*^
mined to rife as foon as they had drawn a proper num*
ber of accomplices into the confpiracy : and in tht
mean time, they bound themfelves by an oaih^ to
aflift and ftand by each other, whea any of them
ihould be oppreflcd by the Magiftrates.

But whilft they were confpiring in this manner
againfl: the government, the Signiory had fecret in*
formation of their proceedings, and caufcd one Si-
mone della Piazza, and fome others, to be appre-»
heixiecj, who confcfled the whole plot, and that thtf
very next day was defigned for the infurrection. Uport

in tbe Dedication of this hiftory to Pope Clement VII. « That th^
Speeches and harangues to the public, as well as his own private re-
flexk)ns aiid obfeivations, are always delivered without reftraint^oi**
»eferve, and Jn a manner confident with tHe*aéìk>ns, charaó^cr, an^
temper of the perfon that fpeaks, or is fpoken of/* The reader i%
left to jud^e. . ' • ^

this.

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192 T H E H I S T 0 R Y Sook lit;

liis; confidcring the danger they were in, they im-
mctiiarcly fumqnoned the Colleges, together wjth the
Syndics of the Arts, and thofe Citizens that had been
appointed to ufe their endeavours for the re-union pf
the City. But, before they could be got together^
it was late at night, and the Signiory were advifed
by them to confult with the Conluls of the Arts, who
Kvere inftantly lent for, and unanimoUfly agreed, that
sdi the Militia of the City (hould be raifed, and or-^
dered thd Gonfaloniers of the people to ap ear early
the next Morning, at the head of their leverai Com-
panies under arms in the Piazza before their Palace*
At the time that Simone was under torture and the
Citizens were affembhng, one Niccolo da St. Friano^
who took care of the clock, -happened to be in the
Palace^ and being aware of what they were about, he
ran home as tafl as he could, and raifed all the
Neighbourhood ; fo that above a thoufand men were
prelcntly got 'together in arms at the Piazza di Santo
Spirito. Upon ihis^ the reft of the ccnfpirators took
ihc alarm, and the Piazzas of St. Pietro Maggiore
and St. Lorenzo, (places which had been appointed
before-hand tor their rendezvous) were likewife foon
iilled with armed men. It was now day-light in the
niorning of the twenty-firft of July, and not above
eighty of the militia were aflcmblcd to fupport the
Signiory; and of the Gonfaloniers, not fo much as
one appeared ; for as they were informed, that the
whole City was in arms, they durft not ftir out of
their houfes. The firft of the mob that entered the
Piazza of the Signiory, were thofe that had afiembled
at St. Pietro Maggiore, and not being oppofed by
the Mrlitia, they were foon followed by the reft, who
likewife meeting with no refiftance, began to call
vpon the Signiory in a furious.and threatening man*
ner, to deliver up their prifoners: but' as no regard
was paid to their threats, they determined to ufe other
means to force them to a compliance, and imme-
diately fet fire to the houfe of Luigi Guicciardini :
upon which, the Signiory, to prevent greater mif-

chief.

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Bóo&IIF. O F F L O R E N C E- 19 j

chief, ordered the prifoners to be difchargcd. When
they had thus got their accomplices fa^c into their
hands again, they took the Gonfalone, or Standard
della Giuftizia, from the Eflecutore ; under the cover
and authority of which, they burnt feveral of the Ci-
tizens houfcs down to the ground, and wreaked their
raalice upon many others, againft whom they had
taken any pique^ either on public or private accounts.
For if any one of the Plebeians had been injured or
affronted by a particular Citizen, he led the Mob di-
re<5tly to his enemy's houfe : nay, it was fufficienc
barely to mention the perfon's name, or to call our,
in fucb a marCs boufe^ or to fuch apneas Jhop^ and imme-
diatf ly the new Gonfalonier carried the Standard that
way. They burnt all the books and accounts of t!ii?
Clothier's company, and after they had done a great
deal more mifchief^ to crown their proceedings with
fome a6lion of merit and eclat^ as they thought, they
knighted fixty-four Citizens: amongft whom were
Sylveftro de* Medici, Benedetto and Antonio degli
Alberti, Tomafo Strozzi, and others of their frjends;
though fome of them fubmitted to it Avith much re-
luftance. Their levity, indeed, was very remarkable
upon this occafion, for they conferred the honour of
knighthood on fome of thofe very perfons whofe houfes
they had burns down but a few hours before -, parti-
cularly upon Luigi Guicciardini, the late Gonfalo-
nier: fuch is the caprice of thè multitude, and fo
foon are their difgufts changed into favour and af-
feétion !

The Signiory being thus abandoned in this perilous
conjunfture by the Militia, the heads of the Arts,
and even by their Gonfaloniers, were not a little dif-
niayed when they faw nobody come to their afliftance,
as they had ordered : for out of the fixteen compa-
nies, only thofe of the the Golden Lion, and the Squir-
rely under the command of Giovenco della Stufa and
Giovanni Cambi, made their appearance ; and they
did not ftay long in the Piazza ; for not being joined
by the reft, they thought it moft prudent to draw off

Vol. I. O again.

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again. Some of the Citizens of their party, feeing
the Multitude fo outrageous, and the Palace deferted^
durft not ftir out of their dogrs ; others mixed with
the Mob, and went along with them, hoping thereby
to fave their own houfes, and thofe of their friends : bjr
which means the numj)er of the people was much in-
creafcd, and the Signiory left almoft alone to defend •
themfelves. This ferment continued all the day ; and
at night they fat down, to the number of fix thoufand,
near the palace of Mefler Stephano, behind St. Bar-
naby's Church ; from whence they fent, in a tbreat-
ning manner, before day-break» to demand the Co-
lours from the Heads of the Arts. The next morn^
ing, as foon as it was light, they proceeded with the
Standard of Juftice, and the Colours of the feveraJ
Arts, to the Palace of the Podefta, and demanded
poflcffion of it; which being rcfufed, they broke
down the doors, and forced their way into it. The
Signiory, therefore, being defirous to come to fomc
compromiieiwith them, fince they were not able to
quell them by force, fent four of their body to them,
at the Palace of the Podefta, to know their demands :
but upon their arrival there, they found that the
Ringleaders of the Plebeians had already fettled the
terms which ihey expefted from the Signiory, with
the Syndics of the Arts^ and fomc other of .the prir>-
cipal Citizens : fo that they returned with four De-
puties from the People, who made the following de-
mands : That the Clothiers Company fhould no lon-
ger be fubje<5l to the jurifdidion of any Magiftracc
who was not a Florentine by birth. That there Ihould
be three new companies of Arts added to the others ;
one of Woolcombers and Dyers ; another of Barbers,
Taylors, Shoemakers, and other fuch mechanics»;
and the third, of the Trades that were inferior to
thefe : out of which Companies, two of the Signiory
fhould always be chofen, and three more out of the
other fourteen minor Arts, That the Signory (houW
provide Halls where ibefe new Companies might meet
for the difpatch of bufinefs. That no perfonlhat was

incor-

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Bdók III. OF FLORENCE. 195

incorporated into thcfe ^ Arts fliould be compelled to
pfay any debt under the fum of fifty ^Ducats, before
thè expiration of the two next enfuing years, at which
time the Principal only fhould be paid to the Creditor,
and the mtcreft into the Bank, or publick Stock. That
all fuch as were in banifhment, or under any fentence,
Ihould be recalled and pardoned : and that thofe who
had beeh admonifhed, fhould be made capable of en-
joying any dignity or poft of honour. Many other
articles were added to thefe, in favOi>r of their parti-
cttlaf friendsy and to the prejudice of their enemies,
fome of whom they infilled fhould be fent into exile,
and others adrnonifhed. All which demands, griev-
ous and diftionourablc as they were to the govern-
nlent, were yet deliberated upon by the Signiory, the
Colleges, and the Council of the People, who wertì
apprchenfivc of flill greater mifchiefs, if they did not
comply with them. Bur, before a Law could be
pafled fot that purpofe, it was neceffary it fiiould
have the afTent of the Common Council, which could
not be obtained immediately, as it was contrary to
cflablillied cùftom to hold two councils on the fame
day. However, asf they were told that was the only
obftack, the Arts fèemed pretty well contented, and
the people fo well (atisficd, that they promifed to lay
dow0 their arms, and give no further difturbance, as
foon as the Law they demanded (hould be paffed.
The next morning, whilft the Common Council were
deliberating upon it, the Multitude, naturally vo-
luble and impatient, got together again under the
' feme Colours, and returned into the Piazza before the
Falace j where they made fuch a dreadful clamour,
that the whole Council, as well as the Signiory, were
ttot a little terrified : and Guerriante Marignuoli,
one of the Signiors, being more frighted than any
of the reft, ran down ftairs under a pretence of {hutt-
ing the gates, and fneaked away to his own houfe.
He was difcovered, however, by the Mob ; but they

• The Silver Pucat is worth about 4s. 6d, fterfing, the Golden one
about 9$*

O 2 . did

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1^5 T H E H I S T O R Y Book Ilf.^

did not offer any fort of violence to him ; and con-
tented themfelves with crying out, as he paffed thro*
tbem, *' that if all the Signiory did not immediately
quit the Palace, they would murder their Children,
and burn their houlcs." In the mean time, the Law
had paffed, the Signiory had retired into their pro-
per apartment, and the Counfellors being come down
ftairs, were walking in the Portico and Cloyfters,
cxpcding the immediate deftruftion of the City, and
afraid to ftir out, confidering the bafcnefs of the
Mob *, and the perverfenefs, or rather the pufillani-
mity of thofe, in whofe power it was not only to have
curbed, but utterly fuppreffed them. The Signiory
were in no lefs diftraftion, and gave up the City for
loft, feeing themfelves deferted by one of their col-
leagues, and that nobody had the courage either to
affjft or even fo much as to comfort or advife them.
Whillt they were in this diflrcfs, and knew not
what courfe to take, Tomafo Strozzi and Benedetto
Alberti, either out of ambition, and a defire of re-
maining alone in poffeffion of the Palace, or perhaps
becaufe they thought it the beft expedient to allay
the fufy of the populace, advifed them to give way
to it, by refignlng the Magiftracy, and retiring to
their own houfes. This advice, though given by
thofe that had been the chief fomentors and abettors
of the infurrcftion, would have been immediately

• Livy's remark is moll true. Hac natura muhitudinis ejf \ autftrwi
humUiter, aut fuperhe doìnìnatur : libertatem qua media eft^ nee fpernere
medicei nee habere fciunt j S* non ferme defunt irarum indulgente! mi*
nijfri, qui a'vidos atque intemperantes Plebeiorum animos-ad fanguinem &"
Cétdes irritent. ** Such i$ the nature of the multitude; humble and
abje6l even to bafenefs when they obey ; but infolent to the laft de-
gree, when they command. They are neither content with liberty»
nor without it, nor know how to keep any medium. And for the
nioft part, there are perfons ready enough to indulge their paflions»
and irritate their greedy and intempei*ate minds to plunder and blood*
ihcd." Livy, lib. xxiv. c. 25. As Milton fays of them 5

<* They bawl for freedom in their fcnfclefs mood.
And ihil revolt when truth would fet them free.
Licence they mean, when they cry Liberty ;
For who loves that, muft firft be wife and g'oodf
But from that mark how far they rove we fee,
For all this walle of wealth and bis of blood/'

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com-

Book IIL O F F L O R E N C E. 197

complied with by all the reft of the Signiory^ if
Niccolo del Bene and Alamanno Acciaivoli, who had
a little recovered their fpirits, and were moved with
a juft indignation, had not made anfwer, *' that if
other people bad a mind to retire, ic could not be
belped ; but fgr their own parts, they were deter-
inincd rather to die like meo, than quit the Palace,
or lay down their authority before the ufual time.
This oppofition incrcafed the perplexity of the Sig^
niory, and the rage of the People, to luch a degree,
that at laft the Gonfalonier, chufing rather to rcfign
Jbis office in a diflionourable manner, than to mam»
tain it at the peril of his life, recommended himfclf
to the proteólion. of Tomaio Strozzi, who led hitn
out of the Palajce, and conduced him to his owa
|ioufe. Upon which.^ all the reft of the Signiory
thought Qt.to follow the example of their (jonfa-
loisicr, and were led away one by one: fo that Nic-r
colo and Alamanno feeing themfelves left alone, and
thinking it would be rather fool-hardinefs than pru-
dence to ftay there any longer in their circumftances,
likcwifc retired and left the Palace in the hands of the
people, and the Eight that had been appointed to aft
^s Secretaries at War^ who had not yet laid down
their offices.

When the people firft entered the Palace, one Mi-
chael.di Landò, a Woolcomber, but a bare-footed .
ragged fellow, carried the Standard of Juftice be-
fore them ; and after he had got up to the top of the
fteps, near enough to be heard by the Signiory, who
were then fitting, he turned himfelf round to his fol-
lowers, and faid to them, " You fee, my friends,
not only the Palace, but the whole City is in your
hands ; how would you have them diipofed of ?"
"Upon which, they unanimoufly cried out, ** that he
ihould be their Gonfalonier and chief Magiftrate, and
govern the City as he plea fed ** Michael, therefore,
who was a ftirewd fenfible fellow, and much more
obliged to Nature than Fortune, readily accepted of
the governmodt, with a defign, however, to compofe

Q 3 the

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rgg T H E H I S T O R Y Book lIi:

%e City, antl put an cdd to all difturbances as foon
as poffible. For this purpofe, and to keep the people
employed, that he might h^ve a little time to digeft
his dcfigns, he lent them to fearch for * Ser Nuto,
who had been appointed Prcvoft Marfhal, or rather
Hangman, by Lapo da Caftiglionchio. And to begin
his adminiftration mih .an appearance ef Juftice, as
he had acquired it by favour, he caufed a Piocla-
mation to be iffued, that nobody fhould dare to- burn
or plunder any man*s houle for the future : to en-
force the obfervance of which, he ordered a Gibbet
to be ere<5ted in the great Piazza. After this, in or-
der fora further reform of the City, he immediately
turned all the Syndics of the Arts our of their offices,
deprived the Signiory and Colleges of their authority,
and burnt the old Imborfations. In the mean time,
the Mob had brought Ser Nuto iftto the Piazza,
where they hung him up by one leg ifpon the Gtb-^
bet ; and as every one tore away a joidt, or a piece of
his flefli, in two or three mintites, there was nothing
left^of him but one of his feet. On the other hand,
the Eight Secretaries at War, thinking the govern-
ment of the City devolved upon them, fince the abf
dication of the late Signiory, had already appointed
a new one : but Michael being informed of it, fent
them word to quit the Palace immediately, for he in-
tended to let every one fee that he knew how to go-
vern Florence without their advice or affiftance. He
then called together ail the Syndics of the Arts, and
appointed a new Signiory, confifting of Eight mem-
bers : four of which were chofcn out of the Ple-
beians, two out of the greater companies, and two
more out of the Icfs. He likewife reformed the other
branches of the Magiftracy, and divided it into three
jurifiJiftions, one of which was to adminifter juftice

• The Italian word Meffifre, or Mejfer (which is a contra6^ion of
it) is a title of refpc^ prelixed to the proper name of a man, an4
anfwers to our Mr. But the word Ser^ which is Hill a fiuther ab-
breviation, is rather a term of diminution and inferiority, and
iomctimes of contepipt, a$ we fay in Engliih, Mafl^r (ucli a one.

w

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Book in. O F F L O R E N C E. i^

to the new Companies, another to the greater, and
a third to the lefs Arts. He gave the rents of all the
fhops upon the old Bridge to Sylvcftro de' Medici,
and tooK the Podcfteria, or Bailiwic of Empoli, him-
fclf : befides which, he was very liberal to many other
Citizens, who had befriended the Plebeians, not only
out of gratitude for paft favours, but to engage them
to fupport him in future againft envy.

But in this reformation of the State, the Plebeians
thought Michael had been too partial to feme of the
principal Commoners, and that they themfelves had
not fuch a ihare in the government, as was fufficient
to defend, much lefs to maintain them in it ; where-
fore, according to their ufual infolence, they again
took arms and ran in a tumultuous manner under
their Colours into the Piazza, calling to the Sigiiiory
to come out upon the Ringheria, there to deliberate
upon new matters, which they had to propofe to them
for their own fecurity, and the good of the public.
But Michael being well acquainted with their arro-
gance, and not caring to ej^afperate them too far, be^ .
fore he knew what their demands were, gently repri-
manded them for applying in fo clamorous a manner,
exhorting them to lay down their arms,, and affuring
them, that they fhould find the Signiory ready to conv-
ply with any thing that was reafonable v but that it
was not confident with their dignity to fufFcr it to be
extorted from them by compulfion. This anfwer lb
enraged the multitude againft thofe in the Palace,
that they drew off to a place near St. Mary's new
CKurch, where they appointed eight heads over them»
with other fubordinate Officers and Magiftrates, to
give them more dignity and reputation : fo that the
city had now two Tribunals, and was governed by
two diflinA adminiftrations. Thefe heads refolvcd
amongft themfelves, that eight perfons, to be chofen
by their own new Companies, (hould always rcfide
with the Signiory in the Palace, and that whatfocver
was refolved on by the others, fhould not pafs into a
law, till it had their affcnt. They took away all ho-

O 4 nours

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aoo T H E HISTORY Book HI.

Hours and emoluments which had been granted tQ
Sylveftro dc' Medici, ^nd Michael di L^ndo, in their
former deliberations ; and aflTigned places and penfiuns
to feveral of their own partifans, the better to fupport
the dignity of their refpeftive offices. After they had
come to thefe refolutions, to make them mpre effec-
tual, they fent two deputies to the Signiory^-who
were to infift upon having them confirmed by the
Councils, and to threaten them with violence in cafe
it fhould be refufed. Thefe deputies, accordingly^
delivered the fubftance of their Commifljon to thp
Signiory, with much boldnefs and prefumption, re-
proaching the Gonfalonier with the authority they had
conferred on him, fhe favours he had received from
them, the ingratitude, and fupercilious manner in
which he had fince behaved ; and concluded their
fpeech with fuch menaces, that Michael, not able to
bear with fo intolerable a degree of infolence any lon-
ger, determined (with a refolution more fuitable to
the dignity of his new office, than the meannefs of
his birth) to chaftife this height of audacioufnefs iii
an exemplary manner j and having drawn a fword
which he had by his fide, after he had given them fe-
veral cuts wit,h i(, he fcnt' them tied neck and heels
to- prifort.

As foon as the Plebeians heard of this, they were
cnflamed to the laft degree, and refolved to ufe vio-
lence to obtain their ends, now other means had fail-
ed : for which purpofe, they moved forwards in a
furious and diforderly manner, direftly towards the
Palace with a defign to force their w^y into it. Mi-
chael in the mean time, apprehending the confcquencc
of what he had done, determined to be before hand
with them, thinking it more honourable to ftrike the
firft blow, than to ftay cooped up within the walls of
the Palace, till he was attacked by the enemy arid
forced to fneak out of it, as the late Gonfalonier had
done tO' his great mortification -and difgrace. He
therefore aflTcmbled a confidcrable body, of the Citi-
zens, who now began to repent of their folly, and

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Book in. OF FLORENCE. ,201

putting himfelf at the head of them on horfebac|c,
be proceeded towards St. Mary's with an intent to en-
gage the Multitude. The Plebeians likewife, as wc
have juftfaid, had already determined to attack him,
and were moving forward towards the Palace at the
fame jundure for that pqrpafe j but as each fide hap-
pened to take a different rout^j, they did not meet by
the way. Upon which, Michael turning back again,
and finding the Mob had got poffeflion of ;he Piazzai
^nd were going to make an gflault upon the Palace,
inftantly fell upon thpm and (Jilperfed them, driving
fome of them quite out of the City, and forcing the
reft tp throw away their arips and hide themfelvcs.
This vi^ilory put an end to the tumult; a vidory
gained entirely by the magnanimity apd good conduci
of the Gonfalonier, who upon this occafion, (hewed '
himfelf m valour, generofiiy, and f)rudence, far fu-
perior to any other Citizen, and w^rll defcrv^s to be
numbered amongft thofe few that have been real be-
jiefaélors to their Country. For if he h^d been of
an ambitious or felf-interefted difpofition, the Re-
publick muft have totally loft its liberty, and relapfe^
into a tiiore intolerable degree of fcrvitude than it was
under the tyranny of the Duke of Athens. But his
integrity would not fuffer him to cherifli any defig(i
that might be prejudicial to the good of the public,
and his prudence taught him to conduét himfelf in
-fuch a manner, as not onJy gained him the firft place
and confidence of his own party, but enabled him to
triumph over that of his enemies. Thefe proceed-
ings ftruck a terror into the Plebeians, and opened
the eyes of the beuer fort of people, who could not
help wondering at their own ftupidity, that after they
had fupprefled the pride of the Nobility, they could
fo patiently fubmit to be infuked by the very dregs
and refufe of the city.

When Michael obtained this vidory oyer the Ple-
beians, the new Signiory was already appointed, two
of whom were of fo bafe and abjedt condition, that
every one fccm^d dcfirous to rid themfelyes of fuch

infa-

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202 THE HISTORY BookJII.

inftmons Magiftrates : fo that on the firft of Septem-
ber, when the new Signiory entered upon the Magi-
ftracy, and the others were coming out of the Palace
Gate, there began to be an uproar in the Piazza^
•which was full of armed men, who (bouted out with
one voice, '^ that they would have no Plebeians in
the Signory.** The reft of the Signiory therefore, in
oVder to appeafe them, degraded their two affociates,
one of whom was named Tira, and the other fiaroc^
cio, and chofe Georgio Scali and Franciico di Mi-
chaele in their room^ They likewife diflblved the
Plebeian Companies, and deprived all thofe of their
offices that had any connexion with them, except Mi-
chael di Landò, Ludovico di Puccio, and fome few
others of the beft of them : and in the laft place,
they divided the fubordinate Magiftracy into two fe-
parate jurifdidiohs, one of which was to prefide over
the greater Arts, and the other over the lefs. For the
Signiory, it was only provided in general, that five of
that body ihould be drawn out of the lefs Companies
and four out of the greater j and the Gonfalonicir al-
ternately out of each.

In this manner tjie tranquillity of the city was re-
eftablifhed for that time : and though the government
of the republick was taken out of the hands of the
Plebeians, yet the lower Companies had more power
than the chief Commoners, who were forced, how«
ever to be content with what they had, in order to
fatisfy the Arts, and to deprive the Plebeians of their
countenance and afliftance. Several others likewife
that wifticd to fee thofe kept down, who, under the
name of the Guelph party, had treated many of their
fellow Citizens with fuch infolenec and indignity, re-
joiced at this regulation ; and as Georgio Scali, Be-
nedetto Alberti, Sylveftro de* Medici, and Toqfialb
Strozzi were the principal of thofe who favoured and.
promoted it, they became in a manner the chief go*
vernors of the city. Thcfe proceedings, however,
and this new model of government revived the old
divifions betwixt the more confuierable CwsuOiovitn

and

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Book in. OF FLORENCE. lo?

and the lower fort of Mcchanicks, which had firft
been occafioncd by the ambition of the Ricci and Al*
bizi : and becaufe they afterwards produced terrible
confccjuenc^s, and we (hall often have occafion to
fpeak of them in the courfe of this hiftory, we (hall
henceforward diftinguilh thefe two faftions by the
Names of the Popular and the Plebeian.

This conftitution of government lafted three years,
a period which, though (hort, abounded with Exe-
cutions and Bani(hnients : for as thofc that were
chiefly concerned in the adminiftration well knew
there were great numbers of Maleeontents both within
the CYXy and without it, they fived in perpetual fear
and alarm. The difaffcfted within the walls, eithef
aftually did, or were fuppofed to cabal daily againft
the State ; and thofe without, being no longer under
any reftraint, were continually raìfing diftutbances
abroad by the affiftance of foreign Princes or Repub«
lies, fernet imcs in one part, fometimes in another.

There was then at Bologna one Giannozzo da Sa»
lernó, a commander employed in the fervice-of Carlo
Durazzo (a defcendant from the Royal Family of Na-
ples) who defigning, if poflible, to wreft that King-
dom out of the hands of Queen Giovanna, kept this
general in pay at the expence of Pope Urban, be*
twixt whom and the Queen there had lately been great
ixjmefts. There was likewife a v^ft number of the
Florentine exiles in Bologna at the fame time, who
held a clofe correfpondence with him and his mafter
Carlo, which gave great uncafincfs to the governors
of Florence, as they were the more eafily prevailed
upon thereby to give credit to the malicious reports
that were raifed of fuch Citizens as they fufpefted be-
fore* In the mean time, whilft the Magiftrates were
under thefe apprehenfions, they received intelligence
that Giannozzo, was actually to march towards Flo-
rence at the head of the exiles, and that many within
the Walls were ready to take up arms at his arrival
there and deliver up the city to him. Upon this in*
formation, numbers were accufed \ the chief of whom
I were

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ao4 THE HI STORY Bopk HR

were Pietro degli Albizi, Carlo and Pbilippo Strp2;ji,
Cipriano Mangioni, Jacopo Sacchetti, Donato Bar-'
badori, and Giovanni Anfclmi, who were all com-
mitted to prifon, fjccept Carlo Scroj^zi, and he fl^d,
Befides which, the Signiory ordered Tomafo Strozzi
and Benedetto Alberti ^to patrone the city with fome
Companies of the Militia, in order to deter any one
from rifing in favour of the enemy. After the Pri-
ibners ^ad been e^an^ined and nothing criminal coul4
be proved againft them, the Magiftrate was, gping to
acquit and difch^fge them : . upon whicjiy theic ene-'
lilies immediately calM the people togetlier and raife4
fuch a ferment by their clamours andcaJujmnies, tha?
|ye was forced to pafs fentence of death upon them.
Aifld though Pietro degli Albizi had been more ho-
iKi^ured and refpecled in Florence for a long courfe of
y?ars than any other Citizen of his time-, yet neither
t^e clearnefs of f^ch aneftablifhed reputation, nor the
fplendor of his family availed him any thing. It hap*
pened,r>ot long before, whilft he was regaling his
fellow Citizens one day at a great entertainment which
he had made for them, that fome perfon unknowa
^perhaps a true friend with a defign to put him in
ipina of moderation in fo remakable a degree of profr
pcrity, or very likely it might be an enemy, who did
it to terrify him with the apprehenfion of fonVe fudden
xrhange, when he confidered the volubility of fortune)
fcnt him a falver of fweetmeacs and amongft them a
large nail, which being obferved and handed about
the t^ble from one to another, was whimfically inter-
preted as an admonition to nail down the wheel of
fortune now he was got to the top of it "^ j as it muft

* Jn the confulfliip of L, Genutius, and L. ^milius Mamercus,
the plague continuing to afflifl the Romans, they had recourfe to
the ceremony of driving a nail, which had never been done befoi'e,
but to keep an account of the years, (quia rarac per ea tenipora li-
terae erant, fays Livy) according to an ancient Law, *« that tlie
Great Prxtor ìhould drive a nail on the third day of September/'
From that time this political ceremony was turned into fuperftition,
and iimple people were made to believe, that this a6lion would be
effe^ual to avert public calamities, or at leaft to nail them down,

of

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Book III; OF FLORENCE. 105

of ncccffity happen, if the rotation continued, that
he would fometime or other be whirled to the bot-
tom : and this prognoftitation was indeed fully ve-
rified by his fudden fall and unfortunate end.

Thefe :executions occafioned frefti murmurs and
difcontcnts in the city : fo that both thofe that had
got the upper hand, and thofe that were dcpreflcd,
lived in continual fear and fufpicion of each other.»
Dreadful indeed were the confcquences which flowed
from the apprehenfions of the former; as every little
accident furnilhed them with a handle to trample up-
on their fellow Citizens -, feme of whom they daily
cither put to death, admonifhed, or fent into exile.
They likcwife made fevcral new laws to ftrengtheri
their hands, and keep thofe down of whom they en*
tertained the leaft folpicion : befides which, they ap-
pointed forty fix Commiffioners, who by the authoT
rity of the Signiory were to purge the Common-
wealth of all difafFeded perfons. Thefc.Commiflioners
admonifhed thirty nine Citizens, degraded feveral of
the higher rank, and exalted many of the lower : and
to defend themfelves againfl: any danger from abroad,
they took t John Aguto into their pay, an Englifii

und retard their progrefs. This nail was of hrafs, and driven into
the wall behind the Chapel of Minerva, in the Capitol, on the right
band of the Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus; and to perform this ce-
remony, a Diótator was purpofely created Vid. Danet in voce Cla-
vuf, and Livy, lib. vii. c. 3. Probably this might be a cuftom
amongft the Italians when this tranfaaion happened, and derived
from the ancient Romans j fince they have been forward enough to
imitate them in many other rites and modes of worlhip, as the late
Dr. Middleton has fully (liewn in his letter from Rome.
' t This John Aguto,'.or Augut (as he is corruptly called by the Ita-
lians) before n&entioned in the firft book of, this hiftory, was Sir
John Hawkwood, an Englidi Knight; who was fo highly efteemed in
Italy for his courage and military conduct, that the Senate of Flo-
rence honoured him for his extraordinary merits, with an Equeftrian
Statue, and a magnificent monument, as a perpetual teftimony of his
valour and fidelity. The Italian hiftorians nre full of his great ex-
ploits, and Paolo Jovio celebrates thtm in his Elogies. I (hall only
quote the four following verfes concerning him out of Giulio Fcr-

* ' Hawkwood, Anglorum decus, et decus, addite, genti

Italiese, Italico prar.fidiumque folo ;
Ut tumuli quondam Florentia, fic Simulaclirì
Virtutem Jovius donat honore tu.^m.

Com-

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^6 THE HISTORY Book III-

Cortimàrìder of very great reputar ion, who had been
many years in the fervicc of the Pope and other Ita-
lian Princei. Their apprehcnfions frora abroak) chiefly '
arofe from the intelligence they had received that
Carlo Durarao was raifing a powerful army to invade
the Kingdom of Naples, as it was given out, and »
that he had a great number of the Florentine exiks
under his banners. But to guard againft the danger

Hawkwood, wbbm England boafts her (louteft fon»
And glad Itatians their Prefcrver own j
A (lately tomb as grateful Florence gavtf,
So karned Jotio does thy pidure fave.

This renowned Knigbt thus celebrated abroad» #a« negk^éd attd"
liad no honours paid to his mennory at home ; except that fome of
his fellow (bldiers and followers in the foreign wars, founded a
chauntry for him at Caftie Henningham, in EStiSy the place of hie
birth, and for two of his Companionsy John Oliver, and Thomas
Ncwin^ton, Efc^uiies. Vid. Camden's Britannia, Vol. i. p. 240. Se-
cond Edit, by Bi(hop Gibft)n.

• The account given of him by Collier, U as follows : " He was bom
at Sibble Henningham, in Eifex, in the reign of Edward III. His
Extra^ion was mean, his Education fuitable, but his improvement
in arms wonderful. His father was Gilbert Hawkwood, a Tanner,
who bound him apprentice to a Taylor, in London. But being
preflcd into the King's fervice in his French wars, he behaved him-
^If fo valiantly, that it was >not long before, he got a compari/ of
Foot, and was aftei wards kniehted for lome good fervices. How>
ever, as a peace was concluded foon after betwixt the two Crowns,
and his cftate was not fufficient to maintain his Title with dignity, he
went into Italy with fome Etvgli(h forces to advance his fortune.
There he fcrved firtt, with good fnccefs, under John, Marquis of
Montferrat; next, under Galeazzo, Duke of Milan, at the folli-
citation of Bernabò, the Duke's brother ; with whom he was in fncti
efteem for his fucccfsful valour, that he gave him Domitia, his Daugh»
ter, in marriage, with a dower fuitable to her birth. This alliance
fpread his fame far and near, chiefly throughout Italy: yet either
upon further hopes, or fome difguft, he quitted the fervrce of hit
father-in-law, and went over to the enemy. Afterwards he went to
Kome, where the Pope made him. commander in chief of hi* forces,
in an expedition for the recovery of part of Provence, which
bad revolted from him. When he had efFefted this, he entered into
the pay of the Ftorentines, whom he ferved fo fucccfsfully, that he
was looked upon as the beft ibidier of that aee. He died at Flo-
rence in a very advanced age. Anno 1394, and in the i^th of Ri-
chard IL The Florentines, to perpetuate the memory of his great
exploits, and faithful fervice to their ftate, honourccf him with a
Statue and a fumptuous Monument. His friends alfa rvnfed him ohe
of Stone at Sibble Henningham, arched over with a reprefentation t)f
Hawks flying in a wood, in allufion to his name. But it i^ now ut-
terly deftroy'ed by time. He had a Son named John, born in Italy,
who was Knighted, and naturalized in the reign of Henry IV,

with

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Book IIL O F F L O R E N C E. 207

with which tbey were thrcatiwd from that quarter^
they not only put ^heir Militia in good order, but
railed a large fum of money ; and when Carlo had
advanced as far as Arezzo, they made him a prefent
of forty thoUfand Ducats, upon a promifc that he
would not molcft them. He accordingly proceeded
in his mjarch to invade the. territories of Queen Gio*
vanna, and having made himfelf maftcr of the King*
dom of Naples, he fent her prifoner into Hungary.
But this fuccefs alarmed the governors of Florence
ftill more, who could not flatter themfelves that the
new King would have a greater regard to their bribe,
ttòn the altiance which had always fubftfted betwixt
his^ famity and the faftifon of the Guelphs, whcyp they
had fo grievoufly oppreffed,

Thefe fufpicions growing ftronger and ftronger
every day, made them behave with more rigour to
the other party : a manner of proceeding that only
ferved to multiply their difcontents, and to increafe,
inftead of allaying their awn fears, which were not a
little heightened by the infolencé of Georgio Scali and
Tomafo Stro^zii, whofe authority was much fuperior
to that of the Magiftrattrs v and therefore they all
ftood in great awe of thofe two Citi2ens, as they
knew it was in their power, if they (hould join the
Plebeians, to turn them entirely out of the admi-
niftration. This intemperate and tyrannical manner
of governing began to grow intolerable, not only
to all good Citizens, but even to the feditious them-
felves ; and it was not poflible that the arrogance of
Georgio Scali in particular could be long fupported.
It happened accordingly foon after, that fomc of his
ififbrmers accufed one Giovanni di Cambio of con-
fpiring againft the State : but as he was found in-
nocent of the crime that was laid to his charge, the
Magiftrate, who was then the Captain of the people,
adjudged that the accufer fhould fufFer the fame pu-
nifliment that would have been inflifted upon Cambio
if he had been proved guilty. Georgio therefore
perceiving that ali his authority and intercelfions for

him

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2o8 t. H E H I S T O R Y Book IIL

him were in vain, went together with Tomafo Strozzi
at the head of a Mob which they had raifcd, and
having refcucd him by force, they plundered the Cap**,
tain's Palace and obliged him to hide himfelf for feàr
of being murdered. This outrage fo highly difguftcd
the whole city, that his enemies thought they had
now a fair opportunity not only of wreaking their owa
private revenge upon him, but of delivering the
Commonwealth out of his hands and the hands of
the Plebeians, who had fo unmercifully tyrannized
over it for the fpace of three years. And this defìggi
was not a little promoted by the Captain's behaviour,
who went direftly to the Signiory as foon as the tu-
mult was over, and told them, " that, as they had
done him the honour to confer that office upon him,
he had accepted it with pleafure, upon a prefumption
that he was to ferve good and virtuous men, and wba
would have taken arms, if neceflary, to favour the
courfe of juftice, and not to obftruft it. But fince
he had feen enough of their manner of governing the
. city and behaving themfelves, that poll which he had
fo chearfully accepted in hopes of advancing his own
fortune and reputation as well as ferving the Com-
monwealth, he (hould much more chearfully rcGgn,
to avoid further danger and fave himfelf from utter
ruin." Upon this, ibme of the Signiory, after they
had perfuaded the Captain to continue in his office, by
giving him fair words and promifing they would
take care that he (hould not only be indemnified
for the lofs he had already fuftained, but that he
Ihould live in fccurity for the future, immediately
entered into a confultation with fuch of the Citizens
' as they thought wiflied well to their country and
were the leaft fufpedbcd of difafFeftion ; in which it
was concluded that now or never would be the cime
to deliver the city from the yoke of Scali and the
Plebeian fadlion, as he had alienated the afFedions *
of the generality by this laft enormity. They re-
folved therefore to make ufe of the opportunity be-
fore the paffions of the people fubfidcd, well know-
ing

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Book III. O F F L 0 RE N C K 209.

ing that the favour of the multitude is fooa loft and
as foon regained by any little accidental circumftancc.;
And ta conduft the affair to a happy iflue, they
thought it abfolutely neceflary to draw Benedetto Al-
berti into a concurrence- with their defign, without
whofe afliftancc the undertaking feemed too rafli and
dangerous.

Benedetto, tho* a man of immenfe fortune, was yet
very humane, ftrift in his morals and principles, a
ftcady friend to the liberties of his country, and fuffi*
ciently difgufted at the tyrannical proceedings of the
government : fp that it was no difficult matter to en^
gage him in any meafures that might contribute to the
downfall of Scali. For as the infolence and op-
prelTion of the principal Commoners a:id the Guelph
fadion had made him their enemy and a friend to the
Plebeians : fo, when he faw the latter purfuing the
very fame meafures,' he quickly detached himfelf
from them, and had not the leaft hand in any of the
late injuries and violences that had been offered to
his fellow Citizens -, the fame motives, that at firft
inclined him to take part with the Plebeians, after-
wards determining him to leave them. Having thus
brought Benedetto and the Heads of the Arts into
their defign, they feized upon Georgio Scali ; but
Tomafo Strozzi, made his efcape. The very next
day he was beheaded, Vhich ftruck fuch a terror
into his party, that not fo much as one of them of-,
fered to ftir in his favour, though they crowded in
great numbers to fee his execution. When he came
to fuffer death in the face of that very people whith
' had fo lately worfhipped him with a degree of j^
, latry, he could not help complaining of the hardrreft
of his deftiny and the wickednefs of thofe Citizens,
who, by their opprelTions, had forced him to court
and carefs a Rabble in which he found there was
neither honour nor gratitude. And feeing Benedetto
' Alberti at the head of the guards that furroundcd the
I fcaffold, he turned himfelf towards him and faid,
. *< Can you too, Benedetto, ftand tamely by, and fee
. Vol. I. P me

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no THE HISTORY Bbok IH.

Aie tùtkécred in this vile manner ? I aflfure yoia, if
you i^as in itiy circumftances, and I in yours, I
would not fuffcr you to be created fo : but, remeoEi-
htt that I tell you, this is the laft day of my misfor*
tunes, and the firft of yours.^ He then bewaUed
kis own folly in having trufted to the fidelity of the
Plebeians, which he might well have known is ever
Uable to be (haicen and feduced by any little fuf-
picion, roifreprefcntation, or Waft of envy. With
thefe lamentations he ended his life in the midft ^
his enemies to their great exultation : after which»
fome of his chief Confidants were alib pint to death
and their bodies dragged through the llreets by the
people.

His death threw the whole city into a ferment : fiMv
éuring the execution, many of the Citizens had taken
-jft-ms in favour of the Sigmcn*y afid Caiptain of the
people ; and many others to gratify their own revenge
or private ends. And" as the city was full of difièrent
humours^ almoft every one had a feparate view, atyt
vns eager to accomplifli it before he laid down bi^
ifcrms. The ancient Nobility, now cailed Grandeca»
could not bear to live any longer without ionie ihare
in the public honours, and exerted their utmoft ef-
forts to recover them : for which porpofc, they en-
deavoured to have the Captains of the Ar.ts rcftored
to their former authority. The Heads of the popo-
lar faftion apd the greater Arts were difgufted that
the government of the ftatè was (hared in comtwto
with them by the inferior Arts and Plebeians : the in-
ferior Arts, inftead of giving up any part of their
authority, were very dcfirous to increafe it : and thc^
Plebciails were afraid of having their new Conr^anies
diflolved. From thefe difierent views and appreheji-
fions it came to pafs, that there was nothing to be
fcen in Florence but tumults for the fpace of a whole
year: for fometimes the Grandees, fometimcs the
greater, fometimes the Icfs Arts, and fometimes the
Plebeians w^re in an uproar ; and it often happened
♦ y al] took arms at the fame time in different

parti^

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Book Ut OF FLORENCE. an

parts of the city. So that there were frequent fkir-
tnifhes and frays betwixt tbtm aod the guards of the
Palace : for the Signiory fooietimes by oppofing, and
ibfnetimes by giving way to them, endeavoured by
all pofiible means to find fome remedy for fuch di^
tra^ions. At laft however, after two Conference^
ha^ been heki, an^ two Bal^s inftituted for the re-
^matioa of che city, after many mifchiefs and more
dangers acid troubles, a form of government wafs
fftablifhed for the future i by which k was provided,
that all fuch (hould be recalled as had been baniOicd
linGe Sylveftro de' Medici was Gonfalonier. That all
offices and appointments which had been conferred
|>y the Bajia of 1378 (koaid bt aboiifhed : That tile
two new Companies fiiould be difiblved, and their
individuals reincorporated into their refpeélive Arts :
That the inferior Arts (hould not chufe any Gonfa-
lonier di Giuftizia : That inftead of enjoying onfe
half of the public honours, they (hould now be li-
mited to one third, and thofe too of the lower rank.
So tnat the Popular Nobility and the Guelphs re-
aiHimed their fuperiority in che Government of the
State -, and the Plebdans were utterly difpoflcflfed of
it, after they had held it from the year. 13 78 rill
1381, at which time this revolution happened.

The new adminiftration however was no lefs griev-
ous and oppreffive to the Citizens at firft than that
of the Plebeians had been : for feveral of the Popular
Nobilky,» who had (hewn themfelves the forwardeft
in fi»pporting the people, and many of the Heads of
the Plebeians were banifbed : amongft the reft was
Michael di Landò, whom neither the remembrance
of his forn^er great merit and authority in reftraining
the fury of the populace when they were fo licen-^
tioufly plundering the city, nor any other confider-
ttipn, was fufiicient to protetì: from the fclentment of
che governing party. Such was the gratitude of his
countrymen for his former fervicesM and from this
impolitic irmmier of proceeding in Princes and Go-
vernors of Commpnwealths, it ha^ppens that men n;^-

P a turallf

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t^i2 T H E H I S TO R Y Book ITL

-turally growing difguRcd at their ill-timed fcvcrity
-and ingratitude, often incur their difplcafure before
Xhty are aware of it. Accordingly, as fuch executions
and banilhments had ever been difapprovcd of by Be-
nedetto Alberti, he could not help blaming the aur
^hors of thofe that had lately happened, both in pub-
lie and in private company. Upon which the go-
yernment began to grow fufpicious of hio^ as a fa^
vourer of the Plebeian party, and one that had con-
icnted to the death of Georgio Scali, not out of any
real difapprobation of his condud, but that he mighi:
the more eafily get the reins of government into his
own hands. His daily coaverfation and behaviour
increafed their fufpicions to fuch a degree^ that they
jkept a ftrict watch over him, and reiblved to take the
.firft opportunity of ruining him.

Whilft they lived in this manner at home, they

did not fuffer much from abroad, though indeed they

were not altogether without their alarms. For about

.this time Lewis of Anjou came into Italy with an army

to drive Carlo Durazzo out of the Kingdom of Naples

and to reinftate Queen Giovanna. His arrival threw

the Florentines into no little perplexity : for Carlo as

their old friend and Ally demanded their affiftaniqe;

whilft Lewis on the other hand, infiftcd upon their

. (landing neutral if they expefted any future favour

or good offices from him. That they might feem '

willing therefore to oblige Lewis, they difcharged

Sir John Hawkwood from their fcrvicc : and at the

iame time, to affift Carlo, they prevailed upon his

Ally Pope Urban to take that commander into his

;pay. This double dealing was exceedingly refcnted

by Lewis, who eafily faw through it : fo that when

freih fuccours arrived in Tufcany from France, ta

.enable him <o carry on the war agaijift Carlo kn

; Puglia, he joined the- exiles from Arezzo, and having

; forced his way into that town by their afliftance, he

, dnove out the governing party there which adhered to

.-Ciarlo.; Helikewifc determined to have changed the

• government of Florence,, but was prevented by death,

t..j-:^. ' which:

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Book Irt. O F'lF L O R E N C E. «j

-ivhich gave a tiew torn to affairs in Puglia and Tut
cany ; for Carlo then firnily eftablifhed himfelf in a
Kingdom which he had in a manner given up for
loftr and the Fiortntines, who were fomethin^ dv^
-bious, whether they (hould be able to. defend their
<>wh city, refolvcii to make themfelves matters of
Jkrczzòy which thfcy boidght of thcgarrifon that Lewii
had left in pof&ffidn. of it. After Carlo had tho^
roughly Ibtcted himfelf in Puglia, he left his wife
chete with has twa. children, Ladiilaus and Giovanna
i^as we have elfe where rehted) and .went to take poB-
«fefiion of Hungary, .which Kingdom had devolved to
him by right- of ircteritance, but died there foon after
he was crowned. ' .0

- Greater rqoycii^s never were feen in any city, even
for a vidory of their own, than there were in Fk>t
^ence, both in" public and in private, upon this ac»
xjuifition ; many families keeping open houfes, and
vying with the public in the pomp and extravagance
^f their entertainments. But none of,ttoem were to
be compared to thofe made by the family of the At-
"'berri, the fplendor and magnificence of which were
fo far above the condition of any private perfon, that
^they would have done honour to a Prince. This
«oftentation excited much envy amongft their fellow
Citizens, which, added to the fufpicion that the go-
vernment had already conceived of Benedetto, at
laft proved his ruin : for they could not quiet their
apprehenfions, whilft they thought he was taking
thefe fteps to reconcile the Plebeians to him, in order
to drive them out of the city whenever he thought
proper.

Whilft they were indulging thefe jealoufics, it hap^
pened, that he was drawn Gpììfalonter of the Com-
panies, and his Son-in-law Philippo Magalotti, Gon-
Ésilonier of juftice at the fame time; an accident that
redoubled the fears of thofe in the adminiftration,
who thought Benedetto had now much more power
than was confiftent with the fafety of the ftate : and
zs they were defirous to find fome means of averting

P 3 the

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2H T H E H J S T O R Y Boo^ «f.

the* danger they ipprefamdcd tben^eivcs id, witfcòive
notfeof tumbh .if pofirbflei ihejr rccr^cijr encour^ed
Beie MagalocttK hk enemy dnd compeckor, to repr<l-
feht to the Signiory^ that Philippo not beiàg fo .old
as. the Law requhred in the perfen that filled tliat of-
fice» ndther od^c nbr eauM be admitted to it. iJp*
on this, the afimr wds broogl^t before the ^ignbrs,
jwrt of whom out of hatred, and thc.rcft for the fake
cf .peace and qùietnefs, adjudged bint unqualified to
iiold that dignity : afttfr whicb^ Bardo Mancini was
drawn in hisroom^ a bitter enemy to the Plebeiaa.
fafiiton, aiid no kfs inveterate agamft Belletto. No
foOner was this man in pof&ffion t>i his office, but he
called a Balia for the reformation of -the State ^ by
the authority of which, Benedetto was f<mt into ekile,
and all the Teft of his family admonilbed^ except An*
conio» Before his departure he called. all his friends
together, and feeing them very forrowftrl and déjeét^
ed, he took his leave of them in this manner :

** You fee, my dear friends and fellow CitÌ3ens»
in what manner fortune has contrived tny ruin, and
Jiow (he ftill threatens you : at which^ neither you nor
I ought to be at all furprized, fince it is almoft al-
ways the Lot of thofc who endeavour to maintain
their integrity, in wicked and corropt times, and to
fupport that which the generality are'defirous to pull
down. The love of my Country firft induced me to
join with Sylveftro de' Medici ^ and afterwards to fit*
parate myfijlf from Georgio Scali. From the fame
principle I couid not forbear cfcnfuring the proceed-
ings of thofe that are now at^the Helm, who, hav-
ing nobody to chaftife them, are likewife deiirous to
get rid of every one that dares to reprehend them. I
cheerfully fubmit to banilhmcnt, if I am doomed to
it, only to free them from the awe they ftand in of
me, and not of me only, but of every one, who,
they are confcious, has an eye upon their tyrannical
and licentious proceedings. On my own actount I
am not much concerned ; for that reputation with
which I was honoured whilit my Country was free»

can-
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BòbkHr- (TF FLORENCE: «j

^nimot be taken awajr from me nmr it is ea&ivedl^

^md the review of my paft life wil| allvaya iffbrd mr

more fatisfadion^ than the difgrace of my exile cm

give me regret. It ftlb w^ with concern, I coafefs»

fo leave my Ceuniry a prey c<> the avariee and opt

prefiion of a rew particular men. It grievea me#

iwhen I refle^ that this day, which puts ah end t^

My misfortunes, in all probability will give birth t#

yours, and that the malevolence of fortune may £itt

ftill more heavy upon you than it has done upon me^

L^t mt exhort you however, not to defp^ir, but ti»

bear up againft her frowns, and to behave yourfelvea

in fuch a manner, that whenever you fall into ad^

verfity, which you may daily cxpeót from the preient

Ittuation of things, the world may bear witnefs that

it is not owing to any demerit of your own/' Alter

his departure^ he ftill kept up «be fiune reputation of

|Mty and goodpefs; abroad» that ^ he. hiKÌ ever mahir

tained at home; and going to vidt the Holy S^

pulchre, he died in his return at Rhodes. His booes

were brought back to Florence and interred there

^ith the highcft honours, by thofe very people who

liad pcrfecuted him whilft alive with fo much rjincour

and injuilice.

The family of the Alberti were not the only fuf-
lerers in thefe diftraébions, for many other Citizens
were either admonilhed, or fent into exile : amongft
thofe that were baoiftkd were Pietro Benini, Matico
Aldcrotti, Giovanni and Francifco del Bene, Gio-
vanni Benci, and Andrea Adimari, befìdes a greit
mimber of the lower fort of people : amongft thofe
ttiat were admonished, were the Covoni, the Benini,
the Rinucci, the t^'ormiconi, the Corbizi, the Man-
nelli, and the Alderotti. It always had been the cuftom
to empower the Balia to fit for a certain determinate
time; but the Citizens, who were members of thig,
having done what they were deputed for to the fatif-
fadion of the State, were going to break up before
the expiration of that term, as they thought it would
have an appearance of modefty and difintereftednef;.

P 4 But

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But the people hearing of their refolution, ran in
iMrms to the Palace, and inftfted that thtjr (hould ba*
niih and adrwoniihffevcral others before they refigoed
their authority i at which, the Signiory were exceed*
ingly offended, though; they thought proper to amufe
the people: with fair words ancj pronùfes, till fueh
tknie as tlieybadgoc their guards together, and were
ftrong enough to n>aker them lay down their arms by
force. Hourevcr, tagivc them fome fort of fatisfac-
rion, and to diminifb the i authority of the Hebcians
ftiU more, they made a Decree, by which the third
|mrt of the public honours which they before enjoyed,
Ihould now be reduced to a fourth. And that there
might be always two- at leaft in the Signiory of ap^
proved fidelity to the government, they gave the Gon-
falonier di GiuftÌ2Ìa, and four other Citizens^ autho-
rity to make a-freHi Jmborfation, and to put the nances
of a feled number of Citizens into a particular purfe,
out of which two of every new Signiory fhould aJ-
'DWtys be drawn.

Every thing being thus fettled in 1381, after a fe-
rries of troubles and convulfions, which had lafted fix
"^years, the Florentines enjoyed tranquillity at home
till the year 1387 : at which time, Giovanni Galeazzo
Vlfcònti, commonly called the Conte di Virtu, im-
T^rifoned his Uncle Bernabò, and thereby became fole
Lord of all Lombardy. This Conte di Virtu thought
' he could have madii himfelf King of Italy by force
of arms, as he had made himfelf Duke of Milan,
by treachery : for which purpofe, he .began fo vigor-
ous a war upon the . Florentines, in the year 1390,
and conducted it in fuch a manner, that he would
certainly have ruined them, if he had not died foon
after. However, they made a courageous and indeed
a wonderful defence, confidering their State was a
Republic *j and the conclufion of the war was' not

• Wlmt other advantages foe ver the^advocatei for a republican form
of government may allcdge in its favonr, when compared with mo-
narch cil power, it is certain that the former cannot exert itfelf with
the (ame vigour as the latter, clpecially in time of war« And the

fo

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Book HI. OF * F LORE NC E. 217

j|b sfatai « the fary with which -k was ccMidufted
feemcd to tlweatcri. For aftef the Duke had taken
Bologna, Fifa, Perugia, and Siena, and was making
preparations to be crowned King of Italy at FI0-
TefìCe, he was prevented by foddcn death from en-
joying the fruit of his viaoficsi alid the Florentines
delivered frorri the calamities, which othcrwife muft
have fallen upon them.

During the time of this war witk the Duke, the
office of Gotifalonier di Gioftizia was fallen into the
hands <»f Mafo degli Albizi, whom the remembrance
of Pietro's unfortunate end had made a bitter enemy
•to the 'Alberti, though Benedetto was now dead.
•And as the ariitttofities of the Factions were not yet
cxtinguilhed, he refolvcd to be revenged on the reft
of that family before he went out of office. For
which purpofe, he availed himlcif of a depofition,
that had been made by a certain perfon who was ac-
cufed of holding a fecret correfpondehce with the cjc*
iles^ in which Alberto and Andrea degli Albeni were
narned as his accósmplices, and immediately takert into
cuftody. Upon this, the whole city was in foch ati
uproar, that the Signiory having fufficiently provWed
for their own defence, calkd the people to a con-

* • ^ . < , ' ' , ^ t^

more any government» have af democracy in, their conftitqtion» the
weaker they generally are in that rcfpe^t Their deliberaticois arc
flow, their councils divided, and the refult of them too publid Be-
. fòks*whic«, fhey arefo fubjeft to tumult» and faftionand civil dlf-
icnfioh, that they muft of neceffity be more feeble and tardy, either

* in 'defending therafelves, or annoying the enemy. They have often
been fo fenfible of thefe inconveniencies, upon fuch oocafions, that

. tbrf/ have been forced to create. DjsftatQrs^ Stadtholders, &c.. and
pijt thenif^We» under the government of one fingle Prince, or other

•pcrfdn veft^d* with abfolute power and authority for a certain ftatèd
time, astJie only means to clofe the woundff of faaion, and to give
,n\pre life^and vigour to the State. A prii^ce is to the community what
the' fpirit and foul are to the body.

Spiriti^s intus alit, totamque infufa per artus
Mens agttat molem, & magno fe corpore mifcet.

.Virg.^n.VI, 7»6.

: _ , One common Soul

' Ihtpires and feeds and animates the whole.
This àé^ive mind infufetl thro* all the fpace,
Umte*^and mangles with tlic. mighty njafs. Drydea^

fcrencc.

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aiS T HE H IS TD Ry Book in.

Terence» tppoinWd t new Balia, (by the authority 0f
which many Citizens were bianilhed) iahd caufed n
frtfk ifpborfatÌQB of Magiftrates to be made. Amoi^gft
thofe that they bani(bed were aknoft «11 the Albci'ti i
ijefides which many of the Arti6cer$ were cither ad-
^nioniflied or put lo death» This tyranjikral manfier
0f proceeding ib enrased the Arta and the bwer fort
of people, who now (aw their livtes and honours f^
«vfantonly taken «way, that they rofe in arms, fome ^
th^m running to the Piazza before the Palace, and
others to the houfe of Veri de* Medici, who after th<i
death of Sylveftro was become the Head of that fa-
mily* In order to footh thofe that were in the Piazza
the Signiory fent Rinaldo Gianhgliassii and Donato
Acciai^voli (two Commoners that were .more accept-
able to the Plebeians than any others) with the co-
lours of the Guelph fa^ion and thofe of the people
in their hands« The other party that bad repaired
.to the houfe of Veri de* Medici earneftly intreated
hm to take che government into his hands, and de-
liver them from the oppreOlon of thofe Citizens who
were daily endeavouring to deftroy the Commonwealth
and every good man in it.

AU writers that have left any memoirs of ^he tranf-
adions of thofe times, unanimoufly agree, that if
Vert had been as ambitious as he was virtuous, he
then might eafily have made bimfelf abfolute Lord of
the City : for the violence and grievous injuries that
were indifcriminately offered both to the good and
badt had provoked the Arts, and all thofe that fa-
voured them, to fuch a degree, that they only want-
ed fomebody to lead them on to fatiate their revenge.
AmongA feveral others that advifed him to#take the
fole government of the Republic into his hands. An-
conio de* Medici was the moft importunate, though
they had been long at open enmity together : but
Veri, Inilead of paying any regard to him, only faid,
*^ that as he had always defpifed his threats, whilft
he was his profcffed enemy, fó he would not be ruined
by his counfel now he pretended to be hb friend •,'•

and

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Book III O f F L O R £ N C £. ai^

and turning CO the multitude, he exhorted them not
to deQ>air, for he would fepgre them, if they would
follow bis advice. After which, he advanced in the
midft of them to the Piazza, and from thence, went
by himfelf into the Palace, where he told the Sig-
niory, ^^ he was far from being forry, that his man*
Her of Véc had been fuch as to procure him the love
of his fellow Citizens ; but he could not help being
concerned, that they had formed an opinion of him,
which he trufted his converfation had not at all deferv-
ed: for as he had never (hewn the leaftfign of an am-
.bitious or turbulent difpofition, he could not imagine
what induced them to think he would either favour
fedition, or entertain any defign of ufurping the go-
▼ernmcnt. That he prayed their Lordfhips, however^
that the error and ignorance of the multitude might
not be Imputed as a crime to him, fince he had deli-
yei^d himfelf up into their hands as foon as ic was
poffible. That he exhorted them to ufc their power
with moderation \ and for the prefervation of the
City, to be content with the fuperiority they had al-
ready obtained, rather than endeavour to make their
viftory complete by its utter ruin/*

The Signiory having highly commended Veri's be-
haviour, defircd him to make the people lay down
their arms, and then they would comply with any
thing whatibevcr that he and the other Citizens fbould
advife/ Upon this, he returned into the Piazza, and
having caljcd together his followers, and ihofe that
were under the Colours of Rinaldo and Donato, »he
told them all, that he found the Signiory very well
difpofed to give them any manner of faiisfaàion r
that m^ny things had been already granted, but that
theihortncfs of the time, and the abfence of fome
magiftrates, had prevented their being put in Execu-
tion. That in the mean time, he conjured them to
lay down their arms, out of reverence to the Signi-
cry ; afluring them, that inftead of menaces and in-
fults, obedience and a refpedful behaviour were more
likcJy to prevail upon the government to gratify their

re-
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2Ìo t H È H r S T O R Y Book III.

requefts : and that if tbcy would follow his dirco-
tìons, both their liberties and honours (hauid be fe-
cured to them. Upon tbefe affiiranccs and a reliance
on Veri*s word, they ali returned to their own houfes.
As foon as this tumult was.compofcd, the Signiory,
in the firft place began to fortify the Piazza, and then
immediately inroUed two thoufand Citizens, well af-
fefted to the government, whom they divided into
Companies, with orders,' to be ready to affift them
whenever they ftiould be called upon ; ftriftly prohr-
biting all others at the fame time, from bearing arms
Aipon any occafion whatfoever. After they had taken
thefe ftcps to fecure tbemfelves, they put many of the
Artificers to death, and banilhcd others that had been
the moft aftivc and clamorous in the late infiirrcftioii.
And that the Gonfalonier della Giuftizia might have
the more reverence (hewn him, they ordained, that no
one Ihould be capable of being admitted to that dig-
nity, before he was five and forty years of age. They
likewife made feveral other provifions to ftrcngthen
their hands, which were hot only intolerable to thofe
againft whom they were particularly defigned, but
odious to all good Citizens of their own party ; who
tduld. not help thinking that a bad adminiftration,
and built upon a fandy bottom, which ftood in need
of. fo much fcverity to fupport it. Thofe of the Al-
berti that were ftill left in the City, and many others,
particularly the Medici, who thought thcmfelves, as
well as the people, abufed and deceived, were ex-
tremely difgufted at thefe proceedings ; but the firft
that had courage enough to oppofe them, was Do-
nato, the fon of Jacopo Acciaivoli. This Donato,
though he was one of the Grandees of the City,, and
rather fuperior than equal to Mafo degli Albizi
(who by the fteps he had taken whilft he was Gon-
'falonier, was become in a manner the Head of the
Commonwealth) could not live quietly himfelf in a
city where fo many were difcontented ; and difdained
the common pradice of making a private advan-
*tage of public misfortunes. He therefore rcfolvcd to

ufe

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Book III. OF FLORENCE. sit

tife his intcrcft, in the firft place, that all fnch as had
been fent into exile, might be recalled, at leaft ihat
thofe who had been admonifhed fbould be rcqualifitd
to hold their former honours and employments. For
this purpofe, he infinuated firft to one Citizen, and
■then to another, that there was no other expedient
left to quiet the people, and allay the rage of faélion;
and that if he was one of the Signiory, he made no
doubt, but he could bring the matter to bear, Bi*t
as delay is irkfome in all things, and too much pre-
cipitation is commonly attended with danger; to
avoid one extreme, he ran into the other. There
were then in the Signiory Michael Acciaivoli, his
near relation, and Niccolo Ricoveri, his intimate
friend : , and as he thought this was an opportunity
not to be loft> he entreated them to propofe a. Law
to the Councils for the reftoration of their fellow Ci-
tizens. At his perfuafion, they accordingly moved k
to the reft of the Signiory, who were all of opinion,
that it would be imprudent to attempt any change
of Government in which the advantage would be-
doubtful, and the danger very great and certain. Do- ^
nato, therefore, having firft tried all meaSs to no
; purpofe^ began to grow outrageous, and fent them
word, " That fince they would not fuffer the City to
be reformed by other methods, it (hould be done by
force :" at which they were fo incenfed, that after
they had communicated the aff^air to thofe that were
in the adminiftration. Donato was cited to appear be-
fore them, and being convided of fending that mef-
fage, by the Evidence of the perfon who carried it, he
was banifhed to Barletta. They likewife baniftied
Alamanno and Antonio cje' Medici,, and all thofe that
were of Alamanno's family, together with many of
the inferior Arts, who had any intercft amongft the
Plebeians. All thefe things happened within two
years after Mafo degli Albrzi had affumed the go-
vcrnment.

in this fituation of affairs, whilft many were dif^
iionientcd at home, and many impatient under thjeir

banifli-

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«22 THE HISTORY BoòkIIf.

banìftimcnt abroad, there happened to be amongfl:
the Exiles at Bologna, Picchio CavicciuUi, Tomafo
de* Ricci, Antonio de' Medici, Benedetto degli Spini;
Antonio de* Ginolami, Chriftofano di Catione, and
two others of much inferior condition; but all young
and fpirited men, and determined at all events to re*
turn to their Country : efpecially as Piggclk) and Ba-
rocck) CàvicciuUi, who were in the number of tbofe
tlmt had been admoniihed in Florence, had found
means to fend them word, that if they could get fer
cretly by night into the City, they would receive them
into their houfes, from whence they might take focr^
convenient opportunity of fallying out and killing
Maio degli Albizì, and afterwards call the people to
Itrms, who would be ready enough to rife, as thejr
were fufficiently difaffefted to the Government, and
fure of being fupported by the Ricci, Adimari, Me-
dici, Manheili, and many other conladerabte families.
Ftuihed with thefc hopes, they privately entered the
City at a place appointed, on the 4th of Auguft 19^7,
«nd immediately fet fpies to watch the n[K)tions of
Mafo ; as they defigncd to begin the tumult by dif-
patching him. Not long after, Mafo came out of
his Houfe, and went to an Apothecary's, not far from
the Church of St. Pietro Maggiore : upon which,
the pcrfch that bad been fent to watch him, ran to
acquaint the confpirators, who immediatly took their
fwcrds and haftcd to the Apothecary's, but found lie
was gone from thence. They were nof difi:ouraged,
however, at this difappointmcnt, but turned afide to-
wards the Old Market Place, where they kiMed one
of their enemies party, and proceeded towards the
New Market, fhouting, and calling upon the Citizens
to arm for the recovery of their Liberties, and put
the Tyrants to death. From thcpce they advanced
towards a Street called the Calimara, at the end of
which they killed another man : bat feeing that no-
body regarded their cries, nor offered to take arms
and join them, they retired into the Loggia Nighit-
tofa, from the garrets of which they again calied 013c

to

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Book IH. O F F L O It E N CE, «3

to a great tnob (which b]r this tune was got roiiad
them» more out of curioficy than with a defign to
^vc them any aflifttnce) coojuring them to take
anns, and &ake off* fo deteftable a Yoke ; aad af*
furing them, " that the groans of their fcUow Ci-
tizens had moved them more than any private inju*
rics which they had fuftained themfelves» and were
the only occafion of their making that attempt to
refoie them out of Oavery : thac they had ofcen heard
that many of them were continually wiJhiog éorfome
opporttinity of revenging themfclves, and were de«
termincd to do it whenever they could get any body
to head them. But now that opportunity was comcv
and they had leaders to coadiid them, they ftood
gazing upon each otber, till chey wotikl fee the a{^
fertors of their Liberties mafiacml, and their op«
preffions redoubled. That they were aftoniflied to
^ fee tfaofe who fonmerly tiièd xo take arms upon any
little grievance, now crouching under fo incoferable
a tmràcn, aad tamely fubmkting to have fo oaaoy of
their fellow Citizens admoniflted, and fo many feoc
into exile, when it was in their tiwn power both to
«fibre the Exiles to their Country, andihofe that had
l)een admonilhed, to their. former honoured' Thcfe
exhortations and reproaches, flinging as they wer^e,
rfaad yet no effcd upon the people, who cither durft
not air oitic of the awe cbey &oùà in w the Govern*
ment, or would not^ out of the prejudice they had -
conceived againft the Ex^s from the death of thofe
two Citizens, whom they iiad killed. So that when
lihefe Ringleaders of the tumult perceived chat neither
their words nor adioos made any impreflTion upon the
mulmude, they were at laft ^convinced, wiien it ifi^s
too late, how dangerou^s a thing, it is to attempt Uie
deliverance of a people who are willing to concinyie
in flavcry: and defpairing/of iuccels, they ffattt them-^
^Ives \ip in the Church, of St. Reparau, not with
any hopes of &ving their H^es, but of deffirriag chdr
death &x a little twfaile.

Upan

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224 T H E H I S TO R Y Book IIL-.

Upon the firfl: rumour of this tumult, theSigniory"
had armed themfclvcs, and fortified their palace ; but*,
when they heard the event, who they were that had
been the occafion of it, and whither they had retired^
they. recovered their fpirits, and ordered an officer to-
take a party of the guards with him, and feize them.
The doors of the Church were eafily forced, but the
others defended themfelves fa refolutely, that many
of them were killed : the reft being taken and cxa--
mined, it did not appear that any other of the Citi-
zens had been privy to the Confpiracy, except Ba-
roccio and Piggello CavicciuUi, whom they put to
death with their accomplices.

This confpiracy was hardly quaihed, when another
and more dangerous one was difcovcred. The Flo-
rentines, as we have faid before, were then at war
with the Duke of Milan ; who not being able to
conquer them by dint of arms, had rccourfe to other
method» ; and having engaged many of the Citizens
in his defign, by means of the Exiles, (of whom there
were numbers all over Lombardy) it -was agreed
àmongft them, that upon a certain day appointed for
that purpofe, all the Exiles who lived neareft toFk>-
rencc, and were able to bear arms, (hould advance to-
wards the City, and endeavour to force their way into
it by the channel of the Arno. In which attempt, if
they fucceeded, they were to be joined by their friends
in the City, and then proceed to the houfes of the
chief governors, whom they had determined to put
to death, and afterwards to reform the State as they
thought proper. Amongft the Citizens within the
walls, that were concerned in the confpiracy, w^s
Samminiato de' Ricci ; and as it often happens in^iuch
undertakings, that a few perfons are not fufficient to
. put them in execution, and it is dangerous to truft a
great number, whilft he was endeavouring to engage
as many in it as he could, he unluckily met with ooe
•'that betrayed him. For having communicated the
affair to Sylveftro CavicciuUi, whom he thought .the
remembrance of his Kinfman's death, and the fuffer-

ings

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Book in. O F F L O R E N C E. 225

ìngs of his family, would infpire with a thirft of re-
venge, he proved to be mift^ken in his man : for
Sylveftro being moved by fear more than any other
confideration, immediately went and informed the
Signiory of ir, who ordered Samminiato to be taken
into Cuftody, where he confefled himfelf guilty, and
acquainted them with every particular circumftance of
^ the dcfign. None of the other Confpirators, however,
were taken, except Tomafo Davizi, who coming from
Bologna towards Florence, without knowing what
had happened there, was arrefted upon the road : all
the reft, when they heard what had befallen Sam-
miniato, wejre ft> terrified, that they fled out of the
City.

Samminiato and Tomafo/ being punifhed according
to the nature of their crimes, a new Balia was infti-
tutcd, confiftiftg of many Citizens, with authority to
proceed againft Delinquents, and to provide for the
Safety of the Commoqwealth. By this Council, fix
of the family of the Ricci, fix of the Alberti, two
of the Medici, three of the Scali, two of the Strozzi,
]^ndo Altoviti, Bernardo Adimari, and many others
of lower condition, were proclaimed Rebels. All the
reft of the Alberti, Ricci, and Medici, except fomc
^ery few, were rendered incapabk of holding any
office for the fpace of ten years.

Amongft thofe of the Alberti that were not admo-'
' nifiied, was Meffer Antonio, whom they fpared, as a
man of a very quiet and peaceable difpofition. But,
t)efore the Signiory had thoroughly got over the ap-
prehenfion they had been in from the late danger, a
prieft was taken up,, who had often been feen to go
1>ackwards and forwards betwixt Florence and Bo-
logna, whilft the confpiracy was upon the anvil :
and upon examination, he confeflTcd that he had
•feveral times brought letters for Mefler Antonio.
Upon which, he was immediately taken intocuftody;
and though he pofitively denied it at firft, yet being
convifted by the priefl, he had a fine laid upon him,
and was baniftied to the diftance of three hundred
Vol. I. Q^ miles

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Digitized b

22S T H E H I S T O R Y Fook HI

miles from the city. And ta free the government
from the continual apprebenfions chey had lived un*
der, from the praftices of the Alberti, they bani/hed
BÌY of that family that were above fifteen years- of age*
Thefe things happened in the year 1400; and about
two years after, Giovanni Galeazzo died, which, as
we faid before, put an end to a war that had lafted
ten years. After a refpite of tl>efe two years from
foreign troubles and domeftick feuds, the govern-
ment having drawn a Iktle breath, and in fome mea-
fure recovered its ftrength, it was refolved to attempt
the reduftion of Pifa -, in which enterprize they fuc-
€eeded, and not only gained great reputation abroad^
but continued quiet at home, till the year 1433, ^^*
€Cpt that in the year 141 2, fome of the Alberti hav-
ing returned from banilhment, another Balia was; ap*
pointed, which made new laws for the fecurity of
the State, and inflided other penalties upon that fa-
miiy. During this period, the Fk>rentincs likewifc
engaged in a war with Ladiflaus^ King of Naples^
which ended in the Year 1414, upon the death of
that Prince, who finding himfelf not able to cope
-with their forces, wa« cibliged to cede Cortona to
them, a City which had been fome time in his hands?.
.But afterwards: gathering frcfli ftrength, he renewed
the war with much more vigour : and if he had not
been prevented by death (as the Duke of Milan was
likewife in his defigns) he certainly would have re-
duced t4i€m to great diftrefs, and perhaps as muck
danger of lofing their liberties, as ever they were ia
from that Duke. So that their efcape was no lefs re-
markable at the end of this war, t;han at the con-
clufion of the others for after the King had taken-
Rome, Siena> all la Marca d^Ancona^ and Rornagna-,
he had no impediment left but Florence, to ob-
ftruA his progrcfs with all his forces info Lombardy,.
he fuddenly died. In this manner, th^ death of others
was more than once of greater Service to the Floren-
tines, than any Friend^ or Valour of their own.

After

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Book III. Ò F F L Ò R È N C E. 'àii

After the de'ceafe ot" this Prince, the State Con-
tinued in tranquillity both at home and abroad for
the fp^e of eight years, at the end of which, the wars
that enfucd ^ith Philip, Diike of Milan, revived the
fpirit of domeftic faftion, which never fubfided again
till the fubverfion of that Adminiftrdtion, which had
ruled the State from the year 1371 till Ì434Ì main-
tained many wars with great glory, and added the
Cities of Arezto, Pifa; Livorno or Leghorn, and
Montepulciano, to their own Dominions ^ and would
have done ftill greater things if the City had con-
tinued united, and the rage of fadion had not flamed
out afreih, as we fliaU more particulitrly relate in the
iicxt book.

k^b OF tut THIRD éooit»

CLi THE

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T H « ^

HISTORY
D r

FLORENCE,

%IÉ«MbAi«^

BOOK IV.

ARGUMENT*

The importance of ene bonejl^ wifey and pwerfui CHizenl
^he chief caufe of changes in a Commonwealth. The
family of Medici^ having heen deprejfed^ at lafiy in
fome meafure^ recover their authority. Philip Vif
contiy Duke of Milan^ enters into a treaty voith the
Florentines ; which he breaks^ and feizcs upon Furli
and Imola^ and defeats the Florentine army. Rinaldi
degli Albizi endeavours to quiet the clamours of the
people^ and advifes a continuation of the War. CTz-
%ano^s opinion. They try to bring over Giovanni de^
Medici. His anfwer to Rinaldo. ThefaHions of Uz^
zano and Medici. The remarkable courage and fide^^
tity of Biagio del Melano. The perfidy and cowardice
0f Zanobi del Pino. Niccolo Piccininoy the Florentine
General^ goes over to the Duke of Milan. S^he Vene^
tians enter into a League with the Florentines, and ap*
point Carmignuola their Commander in chief. A nem
taxation, called the Catafio. The confequences of it.
How Carmignuola conduced the war in Lombardy. A
peace concluded betwixt the Duke and the Allies, The
conditions of it. The advice of Giovanni de'' Medici to
èk ^tHjoofons^ at his dmtb% His charter. Volterra
7 ' • rebels

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BooklV. OF FLORENCE- ^zp

noils againft the Piorentimsy htU is foon reiuc$d^
chc&ence. Rinaldp promotis a war with Li^ca. Ih^
zam oppafes it^ but ta no purfafe. The crudty tf
'^fiorre Gianna thi Fiorentine C$mmiJ[faryy fo thi S&ra*
vizzans^ and their eomplaints of ft. He is cafhe$r4Ì
for it. Rìnalà^ the other commijar^ is likewife ac-
(ufed of mifcondu^. His fpeccb to the Council of Ten*
Theprojeil of Philip Brunellefcbi^ a celebrated Pointer
and Architt£ly to ky Lucca under wattr^ is def eatei.
^he tyrant of Lucca is depofed by the people. The Fle^
rentines. are defeated by Piccinino^ the Duke's GeneraL
A peace enfues between them and the Luccheft. Ufi>
xano is perfuaded by Niccolo Barb adori ^ to join him in
endeavouring to drive Cofimo dff Media out of the City.
His anfwer. His death. Rinaldo becomes h^ad of
that faHion. He garbles the Magifiracy^ and impri-
fins Cofimo. MalavoltPs generous behaviour to him />
prifon. Cofimo is banifbéd. RinaldtCs adiMce to his
party is negleSed. He^ ,with many others^ rift in arms
to depofe the Signiory ; but lay them do^vn again^ at the
mediation of Pope Eugenius IV. The Signiory bamfit
ftinaldo^ and recall Cofimo.

ALL Republics, efpccially fucfc as are not well
conilituced, undergo frequent changes in tb^r
laws and manner of government. And this is not
owing to the nature either of Liberty or Subjeftion
in general, as many think, but to downright opppcT-
fion on one hand, or unbridled licentioufnefs on the
othe^. For the natxie of Liberty is often nothing
tnore than a fpecious pretence, made ufe of both by
the inftrumcnts of licentioufnefe, who, for the moft
part, are Commoners, and by the promoters of (la-
very, who generally are the Nobles, each fide being
equally impatient of reftraint and controul. But
when it fortunately happens, which indeed is very
fcldom, that fon?e wife, good, ajgid p4>werfid Citizen,
has fufficient authority in the ^mmonwealth, to
make fuch laws as may extinguilh ajl jealoufic^ be-
twixt the Nobility and the People, pr ^ leali: fo lo

CLs wo-

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ago T H E H I S T O R Y Book IV.

inoderate and rellrain them» that they {hail not ^ be
jiblc to iproducc any bad cffeft ; in fuch cafe, that
^tate may properly be called free, and its conftitution
looked upqn as firm apd permanent. For, being
pnce eftablifhed upon good Laws and Infticucions, it
hzs no further otcafion, like other States, for the
virtue of any particular man to fupport it. On fuch
laws and principles, manyofthofe ancient Cqmmon-
•^ealths, which fo Ipng fubfifted, were formerly con-
ftituted : and for want of them, others have often va-
ried, and ftill vary, their form of government from
fytanny to licentioufnefs, and from licentioufnefs tq
tyranny. For as eaj;h of thofe ftates always has pow-
crful enemies to contend with, it neither is, nor cai^
be» poflible they Chauld be of any long duration.
All good ^nd wife; men muft of neceffity be dif-
gufted ^t them -, fince mvch evil may very cafily be
done in the formeir, and hardly any good in the lat-
ter; the infolent having too much authority in one,
and the ignorant and unexperienced in the other;
^nd both niuft be upheld by th^ fpirit and fortune of
one man afone, who yet may either be fu^denly takei^
òtìf" by death or overpowered by adverfity. I fay
therefqre that the model of government whiph took
place in Florence after the death of Gcorgio Scali in
.f he year 1381, was at firft folely niaintained by the
, ^ondutì of Mafo degli AlbÌ2Ì,'aod afterwards by that
pf Niccolo Uzzano.

The city continued in tranquillity from the yeai^^
1414 till 1422 : for as King Ladiflaus was now
^ead ^, and Lamb^rdy divided betwixt different
:piafters, the. Florentines had nothing tp fear cither at
i^omt or abroad. Thofe that had the greateft au-
^hprity in \t nc?t to Niccolo d^ Uzzanp, were Bar-

• He w^s pplfojied at Perugia b^ a Pljyfician's daughter of that
city, of whom he was paflionately enamoured. Her father bavins

. been bribed by the Florentines, to get him'difpatched, prevailed
upon her, to give him poifon in a Philter^ or love-poiioiu He was
si braye and generous Prince ; but his virtues were obfciued by many
itica,^ He died jrf 1414, and was fuccecded by his ufter Giovanna, or

t J[oai\. CpUenttcio. H^ft, Neap. 1. v. -

. '.' . "• ^ - ^ • ' . •* ^olomeo^

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Book IV. OF FLORENCE.. 231

tolomeo Valóri, Nerone di Nigi, Rinaldo degli Al-
bizi. Neri di Gino, Capponi, and Lapo Niccolini.
The animofities however, which were at firft kindled
in the city by the quarrel betwtxt the Albizi and the
Ricci, and afterwards blown up to fuch a teight by
Sylveftro de* Medici, were not y^t extinguifhed : and
although that party which had the largeft Ihare in the
afFedions of the people, continued only three years
in the adminiftration and was turned out of it in
138 1, yet as they were favoured and fupported by the
greater part of the Citizens, they could not be totally
fupprefied. It is true, indeed, that frequent adnio-
nitions and the continual perfecutions that were car*
ried. on again ft the Heads of it, from the year 158 1
to 1400, had brought them very low. Thofe that
fuffered moft by thefc proceedings were the Alberti
and the Medici, feveral of whom had their eftates
confilcated, others were either baniflied or put to
death, and thofe that were fuffered to continue in the
city, were deprived of all their honours and employ*
ments; by which their party was much deprefled and
almoft reduced to nothing. They retained however a
fliarp refentment of the injuries they had received^
"iand determined to take the firft opportunity of re-
venge -, which they thought proper to diffemble in
thefe circumftances.

This adminiftration; which was compofed of the
moft confiderable Commoners, or popular Nobility,
and had kept the city fo long in peace, at laft was
guilty of two errors in point of conduft which proved
its- ruin. For in the firft place, they grew infolent
and fupine; and in the next, they began to quarrel
amorigft themfelves, inftead of taking proper care to
guard againft their enemies : fo that whilft they were
daily provoking their fellow Citizens by freih op-
preffions, and become fo jealous of each other, that
they father encouraged plots and cabals againft their
aflbciates in the government, than ufec} any means to
defeat the revenge of thofe whom they feemed to de-
* fpifct the ' Medici in a great meafurc recovered their

0.4 for,

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33* THE HISTORY Book IV.

former power and authority. The firft of this family
that began to life up his head again, was Giovanni
the Son of Bicci de* Medici ; who being a nian of
great goodnefs and humanity, and grown exceeding
rich, was admitted to a ftiare in the government of
the State : at which there was fuch extraordinary re-
joycings amongft the people, that many of the graver
fort of the Citizens were not a little alarmed when
they faw the old humours began to fliew ihemfelves
jigain. Upon this, Niccolo da lizzano took the op-
portunity of rcprefenting to his Cóllcgoes, how dan-
gerous a thing it was to promote a man of fo ge-
neral a reputation to fuch a degree of power: thac
it was an eafy matter to get the better of fame
dilorders in the beginning of them, which afterwards
Vould admit of no remedy : and that he knew Gio-
vanni was a perfon of much greater influence and
abilities than ever Sylveftro had been. But thefe
remonftrances m^c little or no impreifion upon che
reft of the Governors, who envied Niccolo*s repu-
tation, and were glad to avail themfelves of any af-
fiftance, which they thought might contribute to ruin
him.

Whilft thefe fparks of difcord were fecretly re-
kindling in Florence, Philip Vifconti, the fecond ^on
of Giovanni Galeazzo, becoming fole Lord of all
Lombardy by the death of his brother, had fet his
heart upon recovering the State of Genoa, which
then lived free under the government of their Doge
Tomafo da Campo Fregofo. But he Was diffident of
fuccefs in this or any other enterprife except he could
firft engage the Florentines to enter into an Alliance
with him ; the credit of which he imagined would
enable him to accoinplifh his de6gns. With this
view, he fent Ambaffadors to propofe it to the Ci-
tizens of Florence ; many of wl^om thought it better
to continue upon the fame amicable terms they had
been with him for many years, than to enter into any
particular treaty : as they plainly faw how much re-
futation he would acquire thereby, and how little

ad-

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Boole IV, OF FLORENCE. ajj

advantage their own city was Ukcly lo reap from iu
Others were of a different opinion, and voted for a
treaty with him upon certain conditions; which if
he did not obferve, he woiitd manifeil his evil de<^
figns to the whole world, and juftify them in making
war upon him. After long debates, an agreement
was at laft concluded, in which Philip engaged not
to .interfere in any affairs on this fide the Rivers^
Magra and Panaro. But foon after this ftipulation^
he &r(t feized upon Brefcia^ and then upon Genoa^
contrary to the expedation of thofe in Florence that
promoted the convention ; who thought the Venetians
would have proteiSled Brefcia, and that Genoa was
able to defend itielf. And as Philfp was to keep pof-*
fefiion of Sere2ana and fome other towns on this fide
^he Magra, by the capitulation made betwixt him
and the Doge of Genoa, (on a promife that if ever
he alienated them, the Genoefe fhould have the re^**
fufal^ he confcquently was guiky of infringing the
articles of the Convention he had fo lately made with
the State of Florence. Befides which, he had efi<-
tered into another treaty with the Legate of Bo-
logna.

Thefe proceedings afermed the Florentines to fcich
a degree, that they thought it high rime to provide
iotùc reofiedy, left worfe confcquences fiicHiId cnfuc.
Upon which . Philip, who was aware that he had
rouzed their apprchenfions, immediately fcnt Am-
baffadors to Florence, in order to juftify himielf and
feel the pulfe of the Citizen^ ^ aad at the fame time,

• Tbc former of thefe Riven arife» in the Parmefan» and taking
a foath-weft courfe by Pontrcmoli, waters a Valley that h likewiie

- called Magra, and at laft falls into the Mediterranean a kittle belovr
Sarzano. Lucan makes mention of it, Phariai. 1. ii. The Panaro
rifingin the Apennine mountains on the confines of Tuicany^ runtf *
northward into tlic Modenefe, and divides that State from Romagna s
then turning cjaft-ward it runs by Ferrara, ihrou|(h the Ferrarefé, aad
empties itfelf into the Gulph of Venice at Valona, where it is4:aned
the Podi Valona. As the foarces of thefe two Rivers are not far afun-
der, and their itreams run óìlkurent ways, they s^moft cut lea)y in

, two, from tlie north-eaft to the fouth-weft, and were Ihercfore fkdbed
upon, very likely» as proper boundaries betwixt the eonttnding
tartiei.

if

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a34 T H E H I S T O R y Book IV.

if poffible, to lull them into fecurity, by rcprefcnting
how much he was furprizcd at the unkind opinion,
he heard, they had conceived of him ; and that he
was ready to cancel any thing he had done, which
might give them the lead umbrage or fufpicion of his
fincerity. But this Embalfy ferved only to raife drf-
cord and divifions in the city : as fome of the moft
confiderable of thofe that were in the adminiftration,
thought it would be advifeable to arm themfelves,
and take proper meafures to fruftrate the deCgns of
the enemy : for when fuch preparations were made,
Philip perhaps might think it his beft way to remain
quiet; and thus by preventing a war, the peace
that fubfifted betwixt them might be eftablifhed upon
a furcr and more ftable foundation. On the other
hand, there were many who, either out of oppofition
to the government, pr the dread of a war, alledged,
«* that it was unreafonable and unjuft to entertain
fuch fufpicions of an Ally upon fo flight an occafionj
as he had not yet done any thing that could juftify
them in treating him after that manner: that raifing
forces and appointing officers, they muft furely know,
was the fame as declaring war, which could not be
carried on againfl: fo powerful a Prince without bring-
ing inevitable ruin upon their city: that there was
not the leaft profpeft of any advantage which might
accrue from it : for as Romagna lay betwixt their
Dominions and thofe of the Duke, they muft not ex-
pert to remain in poffcffion of any conquefts they
. ihould make ; nor could they hope to penetrate even
into Romagna, when they confidered that the fprces
of the Church were fo near at hand " The former
opinion, however, prevailed at laft, and they ac-
cordingly appointed ten fuperintendants of the war,
raifed foldiers, and impofed new taxes upon the Ci-
tizens; which being laid heavier upon the poorer
fort of the people than the rich, occafioned great
murmqrs in the city ; every one exclaiming againft
the opprefllon of their Governors, who had wantonly
embroiled |;hem in ^n expenfivc and UnneceiT^ry waf.

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Book IV. OF FLORENCE. a^f

only to gratify their own private intcrcfts and am^
bition, and to eftablifli themfclves in their tyranny.
They had not yet, indeed, proceeded to an open rup-
ture with the Duke, but their fufpicions grew ftrongcr
and flronger every day; cfpecially as he had fcnt
fome troops to Bologna at the requeft of the Le-
gate, who was under no little apprehenfions from the
practices of Antonio Bentivogli, one of the exiles in
that city. Thefe forces therefore lying fo near the
territories of Florence, gave the governors of that
State great uneafinels : but what ftill increafed it,
and more fully difcovered the Duke's dcfign to com-
mence hoftilities againft them, was his manner of
proceeding at Furli.

Georgio Ordelaffi, Lord of Furli, died about that
time, and left his Son Tihaldo to the care of Duke
Philip. And though his widow, who looked upoa
fuch a Guardian with a very fufpicious eye, had fenc
the Child to her father Ludovico A lidoffi Lord of
Imola, yet the people of Furli obliged her to com-
ply with the will of her hulband, and to put him into
the Duke*s hands again. Upon which; the better to
avoid fufpicion and difguife his own defigns, he got
the Marquis of Ferrara to fend Guido Torelli as his
Lieutenaht, with a body of foldiers to feize upon
Furli in his name ; and in this manner that Town fell
into the bands of Duke Philip. When this event
and the arrival of his troops at Bologna came to be
known in Florence, it fully determined the majority
of the Governors to declare war, notwithftanding that
refolution ftill met with great oppofuibn, efpccially
from Giovanni de* Medici, who publickly protefted
againft it^ and faid, " that although they were fuffi-
cicntly convinced of the Dukc*5 defigns, it would y?c
be more prudent to wait till he attacked them, than
to be the aggrcflbts : for otherwife the Duke might
fairly juftify all his fubfequent proceedings to the
other Princes of Italy ; and for their own parts, they
foiild not in that cafe expedl fuch efFcftual affiftance
|rom them> as t}\ey might do when his ambicioi^^ and

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%i6 T H E H I S T O R Y Book IV-

«nterprifing fpirit cam« to be more generally known*;
Ènee experience (hewed that all States aft whh much
more vigour when their own fafety is concerned than
in the defence and proteftion of others." To this it
was replied, •* that it would be much better to march
boldly out and meet the enemy, than to ftay till they
were attacked by him at home : that fortune in gene-
ral was more favourable to the Invader, than to thofc
that are invaded : and though perhaps it might be
more expenfivc, it certainly would prove Icfs detri-
mental in the end, to carry the war into the territo-
ries of their enemy, than to have their own depopu-
lated." This advice was approved of, and it was rc-
folved, that the Ten Ihould ufe their utmoft efforts
in the firft place to wrcft the City of Furli out of the
Duke*s hands again. But Philip feeing the Floren-
tines fo earneftly bent upon the recovery of a town
which he was refolved to maintain, now thought it
high time to throw off the mafk^ and immediately
-fcnt Agnolo della Pergola with a confido-able force
to Imola, to keep the Lord of that place fo fully em-
ployed in the defence of his own State, that he fliould
, not be able to give his Grandfon any affiftance. Ag-
nolo accordingly advancetì almoft to the walls of Imo-
la, and finding the moats frozen over, (as it was then
a very cold fcafon) he took the town by furprize the
fame night, and fent Ludovico prifoner to Milan,
though the Florentine army lay no further off at that
time than Modigliana.

The Florentines, therefore, feeing Imola loft, and
open war now publickly avowed, ordered their Com-
manders to go and lay fiege to Furli ; which they did,
and invefted it on every fide: and, to prevent the
Duke from fending all bis forces to its relief they
took Count Alberigo into their pay, who made daily
excurfions from Zagonara, a town in his poflèflion,
to the very walls of Imola. But Agnolo, who per-
ceived our army was fo advantageoufly polled, chat
it would be impoffible to railie the (lege of Furli,
without running too great a rifque, determined to fit

down

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Book IV. OF FLORENCE. a j;

<]own before Zagonara, rrghdjr judging, that the Flo-
rentines would abandon tlKir enterprize againft Furli,
and march to its fuccour; which mufl oblige them to
^ht hitn at a great difadvantage. In the mean time,
Alberigo was reduced to fuch diftrefs by the Duke's
^rmy, that he was forced to capitulate, and agreed
to fitrrendcr, if the town was not relieved in the Ipace
of fifteen days. When this came to be known in the
Florentitae camp, and in the City, the eagcrnefe
which every one fliewed to prevent that lofs, was the
occafion^f their fuftaining a much greater. For har-
ing raifcd their camp before Furli, to go to the relief
of Zagonara, they <:ame te an engagement with Ag-
itolo, in which they were utterly routed 5 not fo much
by the valour of the enemy, as the badnefs of the
«weather : for our forces having marched feveral hours,
through very deep and miry roads, and continuai
ram, found the enemy quite frefli, and in fo good or-
«der, that, as it might well be expefied, dicy were
eot abile to ftand before them, but ibon fied aiid were
-di^rfèd. However, m fo great a defeat, and which
mftde fi) much noife all over Italy, there was iiobody
Jcilkd but Ludovico degli DbÌ2Ì, and two of his
«men, who were thrown from their horfcs, and tramp-
ied to 4Jeath in the mire.

The news of this misfortune occafioned ^eat con-
Aematk&n in Florence, and particularly amongftthofe
tDf the governing party, wiio had been the chief pro-
•motcrs of the -war; as they faw ithe enemy nowfo
.powerful and elated, and thcmielves in a manner not
01^ difam>ed.and without allies, -but hated to the laft
-ilegtee by the peo|3rle, who iftfultcd them whenever
/they appeared in the ftreets.; complaining <rf the in-
iupportable talces they ihad laid upon them, and up-
Airaiding them with tfec heavy expenocs of an unnc-
ccflàry war. ^ Thcfe are uhe men, iaid they, who
gq^fioiffited ten {bperintend;ams to ftrike a lem-or into
the enemy \ how bravely ihey wrefted Fudi out ^of
<thc Ihands of the Duke ! you aiow fee, fellow-Cid^ns,
the bottom of their hoErrs, and chdr villainous ma-
chinations !

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4^8 tHÈ HlStÒkt Bookie;

chinations ! thefe are the Defenders of our Liberty fof-
footh ; a name that they inwardly hate, as their ac«
tions have fully fhewn, which never tended to any
other point than to eftablifh and increafe their own
power, which God has nowj moftjuftly indeed, beeri
pleafed to humble. This is not the only time they
have brought our city to the brink of ruin ; the ex*
pedition againd King Ladiflaus, and many others of
the fame kind, might be inftanced, if it was neceflary.
To whom will they now have rccourfe for afliftance
in their extremities? To Pope Martin, whom they
fo vilely abufcd, only to gratify Braccio da Montone ?
To Queen Giovanna, whom they bafely abandoned^
and obliged to throw herfelf into the hands of the
King of Arragon ?" With thefe and other fuch taunts
as fury and defpair commonly fuggeft to an enraged
multitude, they purfued them wherever they went.
- The Signiory, therefore, having called a meeting
of the principal Citizens, earneftly exhorted them to
ufe their good offices and endeavours to footh the peo-
ple, and to appeafc the general indignation which their
clamours had excited. At this meetings Rinaldo
jfcldeft fon to the late Mafo degli Albini) having fe-
cretly entertained fome hopes of becoming fole go-
vernor of the Republic, by the merit of his own fer-
vicesi and the reputation of his father, made a long
fpeech 5 in which he told them, " That it was nci*-
ther generous, nor juft, nor good policy, to form a
judgment of fuch enterprizes from the event of them %
for it happened fometimes, that the beft laid defigns
mifcarried, and the worft were crowned with fuccefo.
That if bad meafurcs were applauded^ merely becaufe
they proved fortunate, it would give encouragement to
yaflincls and prefumption y which might one time or
other be the deftrudtion of the Commonwealth ; xus
it did not always happen that they fucceeded. That,
on the other hand, it might be of great prejudice to:
vilify defigns that were wifely planned, for no other
reafon than becaufe they failed in the execution^ fincc
that A¥Ould deter fuch as )vere moft abk, £rom giving

^'^% thcif

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BtìoklV. OF F L ORE N C E. ^3^

thcir advice, and delivering their opinion, without
referve, in any exigency," He then (hewed the ne-
ceffity of entering into this war, and that Tufcany
muft have been the feat of it, if they had not carried
their arms into Romagna : that although it was the
will of God their forces (hould be defeated, the lofs
was not fo great as it would be, if they abandoned
themfelves to defpair : that if they would exert them-
felves as they ought to do, they would find no great
reafon to be fo dejcfted at their overthrow, nor the
Duke to triumph in his vidory. That they might
make themfelves eafy about the taxes, which would
not be fo heavy by a great deal for the future, as they
had been ; fince a dcfenfive war could not be attend-
ed with fo much expence, as an ofFenfive one. He
laftly conjured them to imitate the noble example of
their anceftors, whofe magnanimity even in the lowed
ebb of their fortune, had at all times fupported the
State againft the moft'powerful enemies."

Upon thefe exhortations, enforced by the authority
of fo popular a man, the Citizens began to recover
their fpirits, and took Count Oddo, the Son of Braccio
da Montone, into their pay, under the infpeftion of
Niccolò Piccinino, who had learnt the art of war from
Braccio himfelf, and was efteemed the befl: foldier
that had ever fought under his banners : to whom
they likewife joined feveral commanders of their own,
and remounted fuch of the cavalry as had loft their
borfes in the late defeat. They alfo gave a commif-
fion to twenty of the Citizens, to raife further fup-
plies for the maintenance of the war ; who feeing the
governing party now humbled by their misfortunes,
took courage, and laid the chief burden of the tax
upon their (boulders ; at which they were not a little
mortified in their turn. However, as they could not
for fhame remonftrate agarnft it as a particular hard-
Xhipy they only compkined of it in general, and faid,
it was too heavy, and ought in fome meaibre to be
remitted. But when- this came to the, ears of the
council, ihty took efFefl:ual care to prevent it j and .

in

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t4c^ THE HISTORY Book IV.

in order to make all impoiitiofis appear the more
grievous and hateful to the people for the future^
they gave a ftrid charge to their officers to coiled
this with the utmoft rigour, and to lull wy otie that
fiiould dare to oppofe them, or rcfufc to pay it. In
coofequence of thefc orders, fo;nany were either mui>
dered or grievoufly wounded, that it was apprehended
the two parties would come to blows, and that much
mifchief would enfue : fbr thofe who had been fb
long in power, and ufcd to be treated with fuch reve*-
fence and diftif^ion, could not bear the thoughts of
being infulted in this manner; and the other fide
wers refolved, that every man in his turn fbould
equally feel the fting of thcfe oppreflions.

Certain of the principal Citizens, therefore, had a
private conference, in which they determined to ret-
fume their former authority, and to fupport it with
more vigour for the future; feeing their remiffnefs
had emboldened private men to cavil at their condud,
mnd given frefh courage to thofe who were wont, upon
«very occafion, to put chemfelves at the head of the-
populace. After many of thefe meetings, and much
confultation, they agreed to have a more general ont
kk St. Stephen's Church -, where they accordingly af-
iembled« to the number of fcventy, by the permit.
£on of Lorenzo Ridolphi and Francifco Gianfigliazzi,
who were then in the Signiory. But Giovanni d^
Medici was not there ; either becauie he had not beea
invited, as a perfon in whom they could not dM>-
rot^hly confide, or refofcd to come, becaufe he did
liot approve of fuch cabals. When they were atf
jHiet, Rinaldo degli Albizi took the chair, and reprci-
iented to them, in a pathetic manner, the prefenc
circumftances of the City, and how the governmctnt
of ic, by their too great fccurity and inadvertence,
had again fallen into the hands of the people, from
whom their fathers had recovered it in the year 1381.
He reminded them of the tyranny of thofe that were
in the adminiftration from 1377, till that time; in
-which interval, either the Father, or Grandfather, -or

fomc

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ét)olc if. 6 F* I^ t> Ó k È 1^ é Èi nt

rome near relation, of àlmóft cttty'ont that was then
prefcntj had been unjuftly put to death. 1 hat the
' City was now going to ffelapfe into the fame ftate of*
confufión arid oppreffiortj as the multitude had already
taken upon them to impofe taxes'; and, if they were

• hot cither curbed by force^ ór reftrained by Ibme
other more defirable expedient, would certainly^ in
the ntxt place, proceed to appoint fuch officers as

' they thought fit t after which j they, would turn the

prefent magiftrates out of their feats, to the utter de-

" llruélion of art admirtiftratiott which had governed the

* Gity with fo much glory and reputation, for the fpace
"tof fbrÉy^twò years* The confequence of which
''would be, that Florence muft either be blindly gd-

¥erned- by the caprice of the multitude, (and then

oae party would live in continual danger and appre-^

liehfion, whilft the other rioted in all manner of K-^

' cehtioufnefs); or it muft fall under the fubjection of*

- feme one peffon, who would make himfelf abfolute
" liord, and perhaps Tyrant oyer it. It was the duty,

h^feid,^ of èVèry man that had any affeébion for his

'Comitry, or Regard for his own reputation, to exert

himfelf at that time, and to follow the example of*

'^ bardo Mancini, who delivered the City from the im-

' mineht dariger it was in, by the extirpation of the

Alberti : and as the audacioufnefs of the multitude

' was in a great meafurc owing to the largenefs of- the

- Iraborfations, and the little care that was taken in
thèmi (which had filled the palace with new and
mean men) he thought the only remedy that was left
for fuch diforders would be, to rcftore the authority
of the Nobility, and diminifli that of the Minor
Arts," by reducing them from, fourteen to feven :
which would leflTen the power of the Plebeians in the
Councils, both by retrehching their number, and by
throwing more weight into the fcale of the Grandees,

' who would be fure to ufe all poffible endeavours to

' dcprcfs them, out of revenge for old injuries. Thac

wife men always availed thcmfelves of different forts

of people at different feafons-, and if their fathers

Vot, L ;/ R h^d

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242 THE HISTORY Book IV.

had made ufe of the affiftancje of the Plebeians, to
humble the infolence of the Grandees, now the latter
were brought fo low, and the former become fo au-
dacious/it would be no bad expedient to join with
one to lower the other : to efFcét which, if artifice
was not fufficicnt, they muft have recourfe to for-
cible means -, as they had that in their power, now
fome of them were in the Commijfion of ?V», and
might fecrctly bring a few companies of foldiers into
the City.'*

This fpecch of Rinaldo*s was much applauded,
and his advice approved of by every body 5 and Nic-
tolò da Uzzano, in the name of the reft, made an-
fwer, ** That what he had faid was very truej and
the remedies he propofed efficacious and certain, pro*
vided they could be applied without making an open
divifion in the City ; which yet he thought might be
done, if they could draw Giovanni de* Medici into
their defigns : for if he concurred with them, the
multitude being deprived of their head, would not
be able to make any oppofition : but if he could
not be brought over, they could not efieft it without
force; and in that cafe, it was doubtful whether
they ihould prevail ; and if they did, they probaUy
might not long enjoy the fruits of their viftory. He
then modcftly reminded them of the advice he had
before given them, and of their contempt of thofe
warnings, at a time when they might eafily have pre-
vented thefe difficulties : but it was now too late to
do that, he faid, without great peril and hazard» ex«
cept they could gain Giovanni de* Medici/*

They deputed Rinaldo, therefore, to wait upon
Giovanni, and try, if he could make any imprel&on
upon him ; which he did accordingly, and ufed all
the arguments he could think of to perfuade him to
join them ; and not, by foftering and indulging the
multitude, at laft encourage them to rebel, to the ut«
ter fubverfion of the Government, and ruin of the
City at the fame time. To which Giovanni replied,
^< That he had always thought it the duty of « good

/ and
8

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Book IV* O F t L O ft E N C E. 243

.and wife Citizen to endeavour to prevent any change
in the,eftablilhed laws and cuftoms of the Sute he
lived in, as nothing gave greater offence to the ge«
nerality, than alterations of that kind; and where
many are difcontented, it is but natural to apprehend
Ibme fatal event. That this their defign, in all pro»
bability, would produce two very pernicious effefts :
for, in the firft place, they would be obliged to coo«
fer honours and employments upon fuch, as having
never enjoyed any before, did not know how to fet a
due value upon them, and confequently would have
the lefs reafon to complain, if they were not ad-
mitted to them ^ and in the next, by depriving others
of fuch emoluments as they had Jong been ufed to
. tafte the fweets of, they would provoke them to fuch
a degree, that it would be impoflìble ever to appeafe
them again till they were reftored : by which manner
of proceeding, one party would think themielves
much more aggrieved, than th? other benefited. So
chat whofoever fhould be hardy enough to purfue
fuch a refolution, would foon find he had gained
but few friends, and many enemies; the latter of
whom would be more eager to do him a mifchief
than the former to defend him : mankind being na«
turally more prone to revenge than gratitude ; fince
the one puts them to the expence of refunding, and
repaying paft favours; the other always feems at-
tended with fome degree either of pleafure or profit."
Then addrefling himfelf in a more particular manner
to Rinaldo, he told him, that if he would be pleafed
to recolleét what had already happened, and confider
how bafely and perfidioufly the Citizens of Florence
commonly dealt with each other, perhaps he mighc
not be altogether fb fanguine in his prelent under^^
taking: for that as foon as the promoters and ad«
vifers of it had fufficiently depreflcd the people by
the help of his authority, they would certainly fall
upon him next with the whole force and afliftance of
the Plebeians, whofc afFcAions he muft have loft bf
fuch a cooduA} and then he would be utterly.de-

R a ferted

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i44 THE HISTORY Book IV.

fcrtcd and ruined. That he could not help remem-
' bring the fate of Benedetto Alberti, who, at the rn-
'ftigation of fuch as confpired his deftrudlion, con-
Tented to the fcvcre proceedings againft Gcorgro
Scali and Toniafo Strozzi ; and foon after, was fent
into exile himfelf, by the very pcrfons who had in-
veigled htm intothofe mcafurcs. Hcadvifcd him, therc-
•ibrc, ta think more coolly of the matter, and to tread
in the fteps of his father, who, ambngft other Benc-
faftions, had made himfelf fo dear to his fellow-citi-
zens, by lowering the exceffi vc price of fait ; by leav-
ing it to the option of every one^ whofe taxes did not
atpount to the value of half a Florin, whether he
would pay them or not; and by procuring a law to
be pafled, that no body fhould be arretted for debt
on fuch 3ays as the Councils were affembled. He
told him in fliortj that for his own part, he fhould
never agree to have any alterations made in the laws
or conftitution of his Country *.

When the fubjeft of thefe deliberations came to be
publickly known, it. ftill added to the reputation of
fjiovanni, and wonderfully increafed the hatred which
the people had already conceived againft the other
Citizens; with whom he broke off all manner of
commerce, that he might not feem to give them any
encouragement to purfue their defigns under his coun-
tenance and authority. On the contrary, he took
great pains, to convince every one in his daily con-
' verfation, that it was fo far from his intention to blow
up difcord and faftion, that he fhould ufe his utmbft
endeavours to cxtinguifh them ; and that he defired

* Nothing can be more difgiiftfulto a free people, that have lived

in peace and fecurity under the proteflion of good Laws, (tl\e ne*

cemtjr, utility, and comfort of which, have been fully evinced by a

' long cotìrfe of time) than an attempt to annul them. Norha^any

' tiling been more fatal to Princes : of which, every one mvft remem*

ber many inftances, that would be tedious, and perlTapsLinxidious, to

feHte. Hence the celebrated Ikying; Nolumus Angiise leges murari:

. lindy old vniys are the heft ways s the latter Of whid^ Was formerly

, engraved upon the walls of the Houfe of. Commons Hence the juft

attachment and regard tha^ lias always been fl)ewn to them.— The

• learned Sii' }ic^iiFortiicat»Xliaik:eli«r «f Englaité^* w the^kie of

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Book IV. OFF LO R E NC E. 245

notSing tnore than the union of the City. At which
declarations, many of his followers were not a little
dilappointed, as they expected to have feen him a6t
w^th more vigour in fuch a conjunfturc; efpccially
Aiaraanno de' Medici, who being a man of a warm
difppfition, was continually urging him to take this
opportunity of humbling his enemies, and exalting
his friends; reproaching him with his coldnefs and
pjilegmatic manner of proceeding, which, as he faid,
emboldened thofe that wilhed him ill, to form daily
CQtnipiracies againft him, without any fort of fear or
referve, and woiald ojie time or other prove the ruin
of all his family and dependants. They were fe-
conded in this by Cofimo his fon; but he was deaf to
all their .remoaftranoes and progxioftications, and deter-
mined to purfue his own meafures : the defigns of the
fedion, however, were now plainly difcovcred, and
l^c City began once more to divide itfclf into parties^
There. were at that time^'two Chancellors prefiding
in the fupreme Court of Jufticc under the Signiory^
whofe names were * Martino and Paolo: the form,er
was of Uzzano's party, the latter followed that of the
Medici, Rinaldo, therefore, perceiving that Gio-
vanni continued inflexible, and would not come intQ
their meafures at any rate, refolved to turn Martino
out of his office, as he thought that cpurt would then
be wholly at his devotion.. But the other fide being
aware of this, were bcibre*hand with him, and con-
trived matters fo well, that they got Martino conti-
nued and Paolo difcharged, to the great mortiHcatioii
and prejudice of his party. This would certainly
iiav/B occafioned great commotions in the City, if ijc

Henry VI, ipeaking of this kingdom in his treatife, De domìnio pò- ^
litico & regali, fays, " Regnum hoc in omnibus nationum & regum
temporibus, iifdenì quibus nunc regitur legibus & confuetudinibus,
•regebatur/' " The laws and cuftoms by which this Kingdom is iiot^
governed, are the very fame with tliofe by which it was governed in
the tiipes of all former Kings, and the feveral nations that have come
into it." A rare example 1 See State Trails, Vol. III. p. 26.9, 270.
concerning the right of Subjcdls to petition, &c.

• The furnamcs of thcfe two Magiftrates are wanting In the ori-
linai.

R 3 haa

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2^6 T H E H I S T O R Y Book IV.

had not happened in a time of war ; for the people
had not yet recovered their fpirits fincc the denrac
before Zagonara ; and whilft things were in fuch con*
fufion at home, Agnola della Pergola, the Duke*a
Genera), had taken all the towns in Romagna, that
were in the poiTeflion of the Florentines, except Ca^
firacaro and Modigliana ; fome of them being fo ill
fortified, that they were not in a condition to fqftain
a fiege, and others given up through the pufillaoi»
mity or treachery of their governors.

In the reduAion of thefe towns there happened

two remarkable circumftances, which may ferve to

ihew how much true valour and fidelity are admired^

and with what deteftation, cowardice and perfidy arc

looked upon even by an enemy. Biagio del Melano

was then Governor of the Cattle of Monte Petrofo,

which was invefted on every fide by the enemy ; and

as they at lad fet fire to it, and he faw there was no

pofiibility of faving the fortrefs, he threw a parcel of

ftraw and bedding over the walls, on that fide where

the fire had not yet fpread itfelf, upon which he let

down two of his Sons who were but infants, and told

the enemy, ^* they were welcome to them and all bia

otherworldly goods, which- indeed were now in their

hands ; but his honour and reputation, which he had

always efteemed his only real treafure, he would ne-

^r give up, nor was it in their power to ravifli them

from him/- The bcfiegers, ftruck with admiration

at his Magnanimity, immediately ran to take up the

children, and threw him ropes and fcaling ladders to

fave himfelf ; but he would not make ufe of them ;

and chofe rather to perilb in the flames, than owe hh

Ufp to the enemies of his country ♦. An c^camplc of

• An inftancf of the fame kind happened at Praenefte, when it was
taken b^ Sylla. He ordered his foldiers to plunder the town, and put
all the inhabitants to the fwpi d, except one man, who had formerly
entertained himv^ith great hofpitaiity. This man, however, when
he heard of it, faid, he dirdaincd the thoughts of being obli^ fof
l^s Hfl to one that had ruined his country i and difguifmg himfelf»
he mixed in the crowd with .his fellow-citizens. and was kiUed. But
are not tliefe inftances of madnefs rather than true valour ? and \f

Sey are not, have we not many of the fame in modern hiftory» aiu)
.. tne in (hat of pur own nation, without recttrrin| to sgfitiqaity I

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BooklV. OF FLORENCE. 247

fortitude that may vie with the heroifm of Antiquity ;

and the more remarkable, as fucb were but very rare

in tkofe times. What effefts cqtild be faved from

the fire were generoufly reftored to the children, who

were likewife fent home to their relations : and the

Repubtick, out of gratitude to the bravery of their

father, made a handfome prpvifion for them as long

%% they lived. Very different was die behaviour of

Zanobi del Pino, governor of Galeata, who not. only

IhamefuUy gave up that place without making any

defence, but advifed Agnolo to leave the mountains

and faftnefTes of Romagna, and defcend into the plains

of Tufcany, where he might carry on the war witb

lefs danger and greater advantage. But Agnolo, de-

tefting his bafenefs and cowardice, delivered him up

to his own men, who, having treated him with the

contempt and abhorrence he deferved, (hut him up iu

a dungeon, with nothing but a pack of cards to eat;

telling him *^ that would foon make him a good Ghi*

beline, lince he had chofen to leave the Guelphs :*'

but he died in a few days of hunger *.

In the mean time. Count Oddo and Niccola
Piccinino had entered the Vale of limona, to trv if
they could prevail upon the Lord of Faenza to join
the Florentmes ; or at leaft to curb the excurfions of
Agnolo, if poffible, in Romagna. But as thut Vale
is naturally fortified with ftrong pafles, and the inha«
bitants inured to arms, the Count was flain and Nic?»
colo taken prifoner and fent to Faenza. Fortune
however fi> ordered it, that the Florentines gained by

* A» Machiavel baf honoured Biagio with fayiiig. that < his for^
titude might vie with the heroifm of antiquity/ he ought in juftice
to have diftingoiflied Zanobi too by companng bis baienefs with that
of old times. For there were Tcfry eminent Poltroons and Traitors in
thofe days as well as in tbefe later ases, bad as they have been s
though Machiavel, like many others, feemt to fpeak as if the world
vas mhahitcd only by Heroes and Perni Gods at that time of day.
There have always been good and bad, brave men and cowards, and
mankind fetta to have been pretty much the fame from the firft ac-
counts we have had of their anions to the prefent timet. Comnlaintt
/pf their prodigious wickednefs and degeneracy are not peculiar to
#ur own : the moft antient poets and hiftorians, both ikcred and pro*
phancj aboux»d with them.

R 4 the

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U» T H E H I S T O R Y BobklV;

the confccfucocc of this defeat what théy.cojuW fioc
perhaps have obtained by a Vicbory : for Niccolo ne^
gotiated fo eflSr(5tuali]p'iwith the Lord of Facn^ and.
his Mother^ that they confcnted to enter into an alli-
ance with the Republick of Florence; in confequence
of which he was fet at liberty. Yet he did not think
lie to purfue thofe meafures himfclf, which he h^d re-»
commended to others : for when he had received the
arrears that were due to him from the Florentines, ho:
cither thought their pay too inconfiderable, or tha{
he could have better elfcwhere : upon which, he fud-r '
denly left Arezzo, where he then refidcd, and went to
Puke Philip in Lombqrdy, who took him into his
fe:rvice. The Florentines, difmayed at this unexpefted.
d^i^rtion^ and the great expence they h^d been at to
no purpofe, began to perceive they were not any lon-
ger able to bear the burden of this war alone ; and
therefore feiu Ambafladors to entreat the Venetians
to take a (hare in it, and prevent the farther progredì
fi£ a Prince, i whofe growing power, if not timely
checked, would be as prejudicial to them as to thts
State of Florence. The Venetians were likcwife ad-
vifed to it by Francifco Carmignuola, a Comti^andcr
of very great reputation in thofe times, who had for-
meriy ferved under the Duke, but afterwards left him
vpcn.ibme difguft. They were doubtful, however,
tor feme time what part to z& in this. matter j as they
did not thoroughly confide in Carmignuola, and fuf-
pcéted the mifunderftanding betwixt him and theDuke
was only ^ pretended one. But whilft they were in
jhis ftate of fufpence, it happened that the Duke had
found means to bribe one of that General's Domdffiic'ks
to giv^ him poifon ; which, thowgh.i'C did not prove
mortal, very much impaired his health. ^ Upo^ this,
{.he Vcficti^ns laid ^fide all fufpiciòn pf'C^rmigiiuQla's
fidelity J and the Florentines ftill continuing to fol«^
jicit ;heir ^id, they entered into a League with them,
in which it was* agreed betwixt the two 3tates, that
?he war (hoijld be profccuted at their common ' ex-
-J>?nePi |hap the Venetians ihoyld hpl4 wbftt they

fpighi

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:^k IV; O F: F L O R E N. e E, H9

BFvighl hapt)en to conquer in Lombardfs And the;
Florentines enjoy fuch towns as they could redgce ia
Tufc^ny and Romagna ; and that Carmignuola &ould[
be appointed Captain General of the League. In
eonfequence of this confederacy, the war was ina-
xricdiately carried into Lombardy, where.it wasi con*»
du&ed with fuch bravery and integrity by Carmig*
Buola, that in the courfe of a few months, he took
many towns from the Duke, and at laft made him«
fcif matter of Brefcia; a city which, according* ea
the method of making war in thpfe times, was thought
inopregnable.

This war having now laftcd five years, that is^
from J422 to 1427, the Citizens began to be fo
grievoufly impoverifhed by the heavy and a>ntinual
impofitions which had been laid upon them, that it
was thought proper to make fome alteration in them.
In order, therefore, to proportion them according to
every man's circumft^nces, it was provided that per-
fonai ^ftates (hould be taxed as well as real ; and that
whofoevq- had cfiefts of that kind to the value of aii
hundred Florins or more, fhould pay one half as much
for every hundred as a perfon that had land or houfes
of the fame worth. And as this tax was regulated by
a Law made on purpofe, and not left to the Arbitre*
xncnt of partial or interefted pcrfons, it was likely to
#all fo much the more heavijy upon the richer Citizens,
Upon which account, it was vehemently oppofed by -
them all before it pafled into a Law, except Giovanni
■de' Medici, vho publickly escprefled his approbation
jpf it ; fo that it was carried againft them. And be-
caufe every man's goods were rated in this affeflment,
which the Florentines call Accattare, it went by the
Aame of Catafto. By this law the more powerful Ci-
tizens were in fome meafure reitrained from oppreflTmg
the inferior fort, and influencing their votes in the
Council$, as they had been ufed to do, by the threats
of taidng them according as they gave\their fuffrages*
This tax, therefore, was very cheerfully fubmitted to
by the generality, though highly difguftful to the go*

vernmentr

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igo T H E H I S T O R Y Book IV.

vernment. But as it is the nature of mankind to be
ever reftkfs and difcontcnted, and when they have
gained one advantage, to be (till grarping at a higher,
the people not fatisfied with this equality of taxation,
eftabHfhed by the Law, demanded a retrofped, by^
which it mi^ht appear how much lefs the rich Citi-
aens had paid before, than they ought to have ck>ne
according to this regulation, arid every one be made
Co account for deficiencies; that fo they might be
put upon the fame level with thofe who h^ been
obliged to fell their goods and inheritances to dtf»
charge impofitions fo arbitrarily laid upon them»
This demand feemcd ftill more grievous th«n the
Catafto itfelf, to thofe that had lately been in power,
who, to evade the force of it, made heavy remoo*
ftrances, and faid, *^ it was a moft unjuft diftribution ;
as the tax was laid upon moveables, which often
changed hands and were daily fubjef^ to perifh : that
there were many who bad concealed treafures, the
knowledge of which could not cafily be come at :
that it was hard upon thofe who were loaded with the
care of the public afiairs, (to the great detriment of
their own private concerns) to be- equally taxed with
the reft of the Citizens ; and that it might reafonably
be hoped, whilft the Republick was fatisfied with
only tne pecuniary contrrbutions of fome, it would
not be fo rigorous to exad both the labogrs and for*
tunes of others.** To this it was anfwered by thofe
who approved of the Catafto, " that as nfK>veable
goods changed hands, the tax might be varied ac*
cordin^y $ that no account was to be made of fuch
•as had concealed trcafure, or money k>cked up in
their coffers ; for as wealth of that fort did not yield
"any profit or intereft, it would be unreafonable to
tax it; and whenever it was otherwife applied, k
muft of neceffity be known : that if any one was tired
of his labours for the good of bis country, he was at
liberty to refign his emptoyment, if he pleafed, and
to give hìmféjf no farther trouble about it ; fince it
was hoped, other well-diipofed CItizeils night be

found,

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Book IV. O F F L O R E N C E. 251

found, who would not grudge ta affift the Republic
both with their fortune and compels : and that when
fo much honour, and fo niany other enroluments were
the conftant reward of fuch as filled the great offices
of State, they might think themfelves very welt paid
for their fervices, without being exempted from the
common taxes. But this, they faid, was not the real
caufe of their murmurs 5 they were mortified that they
could no longer carry on a war folely at the expence
of others, but were now obliged to (hare in it them*
felves: that if this courfe had been taken before^
there neither would have been any war with King
Ladiflaus in times paft, nor at prefent with Duke
Philip; both which were fet on foot, without any
neceéity, and only to enrich fome particular Ci«

tizens/*

Thefe difcontents, however, were in fome degree
allayed by the authority of Giovanni de* Medici, who
reprefcnted to the people, the bad confequences ci
retrofpetìs ; " That it behoved them rather at prefent
to look forward, and provide for the future : that if
the late taxes had been heavy and unreafonable, they
ought to thank God that a way had been found to
alleviate them, and to ufe their endeavours to unite,
and not divide the City, as they certainly would, if
they perfifted in their demand of reducing former
taxes to the level of the prefent : and that a wife Ge-
neral was fometimes very well content with a viftory,
that was not altogether complete *, fince experience
ihewed, that men, by grafping at too much, often
loft what they had gained before.'* With thefe, and
other arguments of the like nature, he foothed the
refentment of the people in fuch a manner, that they
dropped their demand of a retrofped.

Soon after this, a peace was concluded with Duke
Fhilip at Ferrara, by the mediation of a Legate from
the Pope : but as it was not long before he broke
the conditions of it, the League took up arms again,
and came to an engagement with his forces at Mac*
loviOi where they utterly defeated him. After which.

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252 . T H e H I'S TO R Y Book IV..

he propofed frcfli terpiis to theiHy which were ac^
ceptcd by the Florentines, becaufe they grew jealous
of the Venetians, and thought, that they were throw-
ing their money away only to aggrandize others.
The Venetians likcwife, for their part, were no le(s .
ready to come into the accommodation ^ as they found
Carmignuola proceeded but very flowly, and made .

' little advantage of his viftory, after he had routed
the Duke's army : on which account, they thought ic
unfafe to truft him any farther. A peace therefore
was figncd betwixt them in the year 1428; by which,
the towns that had been taken from the Florentines
in Romagna were rcflored to them, and Brefcia ceded
to the Venetians; befides which, the Duke gave
them the city of Bergamo, and the Territory be-
longing to it. This war coft the Florentines three
millions and five hundred thoufand Ducats ; a war,
which only fcrved to give the Venetians an oppor-
tunity of extending their power and dominion;
whilft it produced nothing but poverty and diflcnfion
amongft themfelvcs. For a peace was no fooner con-
cluded with the Duke, but frclh Commotions began
amongft their own fubjeds. The late Governors not
being able to bear the Catafto, and feeing no other
way to rid themfelves of it, endeavoured to raife a
fpirit of difcontent in the reft of the Citizens; that
fo they might avail themfelves of their co-operation
f a procure a repeal of it. For this purpofe, they re^
prefented to the Commiffioners that were appointed
to levy the fax, ** that they ought to fearch all the

^ houfes of the neighbouring towns ; as th? inhabitants
of Florence might, perhaps, convey fome part of
their clFefts thither." In confequence of which, all

> towns that were fubjcft to the Florentines had order?
.to deliver inventories of their goods to them in a
certain time. But the people of Volterra w( uld not
.comply with this order, and fent fome of their
townfmen to complain of it to the Signiory, as an a6t
of opprcflion: at which the Commiffioners were (o
provoked, that they fent eighteen pf them to prifon.

' , the

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Book IV. O^F FLORENCE. 25^

The Volterrans liket^ife were exceedingly enraged at
this treatment -, but durft not rebel at that time, for
fear of bringing a h^cavier punifliment upon their
'Deputies. ' ^ ]

In this junfture, Giovanni de' Medici fell fick, and
finding there was no hope of recovery^ he called his
"two Sons, Cofimo and Lorenzo, to his bed-ffde, ^nd
fpoke to them in this manner: *'^I perceive that I
am now approaching the litììits which God and Na-
ture have prefcribcd to my days. I (hall die. with
pleafure, as I leave you both, my dear , children, in
health and profperity, and in a condition to live with
honour, and beloved' by every body, if yoii foHow
my example and inftruflioris. . For indeed, nothing
gives me fo much confolitioit in this extremity,, as
the reflexion that I have never injured any man 5 but,
on the contrary, have alwajr^s endeavoured to. «do
good to every one to the utmoft df my 'power. Let
me advife you to do the fame. If you would livt
with fafety and comfort, be content with fuch afhare
in the government asyoiir Fellow-citiiens confer upcm
you ; by which you will avoid envy and danger. Fdr
as it is that which a man .arrogates to himfelf that
' makes him odious, and not what is voluntarily given
him: fo you will always be Upon a much fecurdr
bottom, and obtain more than they, who, by at-
tempting to invade the rights of othersj often lofc
their own, and in the mean time live in continual
anxiety and difquietude. By obferving this conduct,
I have not only prefcrved, but iaugmented ' my foi*-
tune and reputation in this City, amongft fo riiany
enefnies and intcftinc broils : and hj the fame manner
of life, it is in your power both to maintain and iri-
crcafc yours. But if you take a different cóurfé,
you may depend upon it, your eHd will be like that
of feveral others, who, in my memory, have ruined
both themftlves and their families.** He died not
^long after, extremely lamented by the whole City^
as he well defervcd to be, confidering his excellent
qualities. For he was very cliaricable and compaf-

lionate.

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1^ THJ: history BooklV.

fionate, and not only gave liberally to thofe tliat were
in want, but prevented their afking. His univerfal
benevolence taught him to love good men, and pitv
the evil. He never follicited any Honours, thou^
he obtained the higheft. He never went to the pa«>
lace, but when the reft of the Signiory fent for him.
He was always averfe to war, and recommended pa-
cific meafures. To thofe that were in adverfity, he
was a kind friend, and promoted the welfare of fuch
as lived in profperity, Difdaining to plunder the
public, his foleaini was to ferve his Country. When
m power, he was affable and eafy of accefs to every
one ; exceeding wife, though not a man of much
eloquence. He had a melancholy countenance, but
was pleafant and facetious in converfation. He died
polTefied of immenfe xiches, and full of glory and
Kputation; leaving his fon Cofimo heir to his fame
and fortune ; both which he not only maintained, but
augmented.

The Volterran deputies being tired of their im-
prifonment, at laft promifed to comply with the or-
der before mentioned : upon which, they were fet at
liberty, and returned to Volterra, juft at a time when
they were making an Imborfation for new Magiftrates
there : and as ;t happened, one Giufto *, a Plebeian,
but a man in great credit with the people, and one of
thofe that had been confined at Florence^ was drawn
amongft the reft. This man, though already fuffi-
ciently irritated at the Florentines, both on account
of the private injury which he himfelf had fuftained,
aivd the indignity that was offered to the whole town,
became ftill more determined by the inftigatipns of
Giovanni di f, a man of a noble family and his affo*
date in the Magiftracy, to make ufe of his intèrcft
.and authority, to wreft the town out of the hands of
the Florentines, and take the government of it upon
himfelf. Upon this encouragement^ Giufto took

• the Sttmame it wanting in the oiiginsl.
t The Surname it alio wanting here. '^

* artoi.

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fieok IV. O F F L O R E N C E. aS5

airms, made himfelf ma(ter of the town, feized upon
the Governor, and, by the confent of the peopli^,
took the reins intp his own hands. The Florentines
were not a little mortified at the revolt of Volterra.
However» as they bad concluded a peace with the
Duke of Milan, they thought thqr uiould have no-
body to diftprb them in attempt!^ to recover it;
and therefore immediately appointed Rinaldo degli
. Albizi and Palla Strozzi their * jcommifTarie^ to cpo-
duA thè expedition. But GiuAo expe&ing to be mo-
lefted in his new fovereign^ bv the Florentines, (d^t
to difille the aid of the Lucchefe and Sienefe^ ti^e
former of whom would not fend him zny^ as they
were then in amity with the State of Florence : and
Paolo Guinigi, who at that time was Lord of Luccfi,
In order to regain the friendfliip of the Florentines
(which he feared he had ioA by inclining xo the j4*
tereft of Duke Philip) not only flatly retufed togiire
him any afliftance, but fent the perfon under.a guafld
to Florence;, who came to folUcit it. Tiieie commif-
iaries lefalviag to come upon the VoLterrans before
they could form any alliances» prefently xlrew toge-
th(^ all their horfe, and raifed a large body, of infant^
in the lower part of the Vale of Arno and the ter»
ritory of Pi£^ and advanced towards Volterra.
Giudo, on the other hand» was ^ot wanting to Jiim*
felf ; and though he faw th^ great preparations whkih
the Florentines were making againft him, and that
he mull: expeA no iuccour from the neighbour!^
States, yet he trufted.to the ftrength andfituatioiiof
the place, and manfully provided for Jiis ^€fncc«
There was at that time in Volterra one MdE^a^Axr
colano, a man of good intereft amongft tfa^ 4xio{fc

• Commifikries» in the foreign fervice^ are officers that mitfter the
army, fettle the procuration, conveyance, and diftribtition ^ pttK»
vifiont» ammnnition» and pay, take a^iarticular accoosi 'of sievery
regiment, fee that thev are complete, that the hoHtt are in «04 or*
der, and the men well armed and accout/éd. Hiey likewlle widp«
' times reflate the conduét of the Oenei^, «ndant a chscÌAnifiat itat
proceedings, and fometimes edAiniand the fiM-cei4hemièlv«f^ ^^S
as Intendant of the army and laeutenaot' General at the (ame fi'àie.

' . X con-

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256 THE HISTORY Book II^.

confidcrable of the townfmfii, and brother to that
Giovanni, by whofc pcrfuafions Giufto had been i>re-
vailcd upon to take the government of it birt^fetf".
This Arcòlano having aflembled fcveral of his ntorft
trufty friends, rcprcfentcd to them how fair an op-
portunity Providence had now given them of ad-
vancing themfeWcs and defivering their city out of
* its pfefent troubles: for if they would take up arms
todefófe Giufto atid deliver up the city^ again into
the hands of the Florentines, they Would not only
prefervc its wcient privil(?ges, but become the Go-'
vèrhòrs of it. .To' this they all readily coiiicnted^
and going direàly to the Palace *herc Giufto rc-
fided^ fomcòf them ftaid below ftairs, whilft Arco-^
làdo iand three others went up into his apatwicnt ^
and finditìg him there with fome of the Citizens, they
took hind afide, as if they had fomcthing c^ im-
portance to communicate to him ; and having driWn
nrrt) by degrees, in the courfe of their converfation,
into another room, they (hut the door and fell upon
him With their iwords. He had thccourage however
to 9raw his own, and defperately wounded two of
them before he fell : but not being able to deal with .
lb many, he was killed at laft, and his body thrown
out of the window. After which, tHc^i*eft of Arco-
kno'is accomplices took arms and delivered up the
city: to thè Florentine commiflariesj who prefently
brought in their whole army and took poffeflion of
it, without any Capitulation or terms grinted to the
inhabitants. So that the city was ftill more Jiumbled
and fell into worfe circumftances th^n rt was in before :
for befides other marks of their indignation, the
Florentines took -away the greater part of their ter-
ritory from them, and reduced the reft into a Baili<-
widl(.

Volterra being thus happily recovered, k was^
hoped a lafting tranquillity would have been efta-
biiihed both abroad and at home. But ambition foon
kjndled a new war. Niccolo Fortebraccio, the Son
of a Sifter to Braccio da Perugia, had loitg ktvcd the

Flo^

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""Book IV. Ò" P F L O 'R E N O E. Ì57

l**lar«miqes in their wars \vith the; Duke of Milan.
Bue after a Peiace was concluded betwixt them, this
commander was^ difcharged from their pay, and had
: his quarters at Fucecchio : from whence the com-
jtiilTaries feat for him- and his troops to employ them
in the redui^ian of Volterra. It was therefore ge-
nerally believed that whilft Rinaldo degli Albini was
engaged with him in that enterprize, he perfuaded
' him to pick a quarrel upon fome pretence or other
- i«^ith the Lucchefe, by infinuating to him that if he
; did, he would fo order mattefs, that >frar fhould be
declared againfl Lucca, by the Florentines ; and that
he fliould be appointed thdr commander in chief.
Accordingly, as foon as Volterra was retaken, and
Niccolo had returned to Fucecchio, (either at the
IbUicitation o( Rinaldo, or in confequence of a de-
flgn, which he himfelf had formed) he marched away
•ih ^To^ember 1429, at the head of three hundred
-Korfe, and the fame number of foot, and furprized
StAioti and Compito, two Caftles belonging to the
I^iKchcfe ; from whence he daily made excurfions into
their other territories and there committed great de-
predations. When the news of thefe proceedings ar-
ri^^ed at Florence, the whole city was divided into
littk meetings and cabals of all ranks of people ;
the generality of whom were for commencing hofti-
lities againft the Lucchcfe, • Amongft the more con-
(iderable Citizens that favoured this undertaking,
were alt the followers of the Medici family, who were
joined by Rinaldo degli Albizi, either becaufe he
really thought it would be for the good of the Public,
or that he fiiould thereby effectually ferve his own
private Hitereft and ambition, and become more po-
pular if the expedition proved fucccfsful, by having
been t4ie advifer and promoter of it. Thofe thatvop-
pofed it, were chiefly Niccolo da Uzzano and his
Party.

It feenfs almofr incredible that thefe {hould be fuch

a change of opinions in the fame Citizens, on this

occafion, concerning the expedience of a war. And

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yet thofc very pcrfons who, after a Peace' that had
lafted ten years, oppofed a war againft Duke Philip,
which was undertaken, in defence of their own liber-
ties, now ftrenuoufly ihfifted iipon one againft Lucca,
to invade the rights of pthers ; and ^t a time too
when the city was exhaufted an4 if^ipovcriflied to the
laft degree, by tfie heavy cxpencea of the laft. . And
on the contrary, thofe Citizens who had been the
moft aftive and forward in promoting that war, weà-e
now as vehement in difTuading this. From hence we
may obfervc, what a wonderful alteration time ufually
makes in the judgment of mankind; how much more
ready they are to ufurp the property of dthers, than
to defend their own j and , how : much ftronger the
hope of gain is, than the fear of lofifig i the latter
feldom operating except when the danger is immi-
nent; but the former at all tim^$^ even when the
profpeél of fuccefs is moft precarious and at the
greateft diftancc. And it muft b^ confid^^rcd like-
wife that the Florentines were at this time cxcct&i-
ingly elated with the hopes of enjoying thofe acqui-
fitions, which Fortebraccio had already made and was
daily increafing; and from the Letters they received
from the governors of their fortreffes that lay near
the confines of the Lucchefe : for thofe of Pcfcia and
Vico wrote to defire comqiiflions to take fuch towns
as furrendered, under their protection; fince they
might aflure themfelves they would foon be mafters of
all the territories belonging to the Lucchefe. And
thefe expedations were ftill heightened by an crii-
bafly fent from Paolo Guinigi Lord of Lucca to the
Signiory of Florence, to complain of the depre-
dations made by Fortebraccio, and to entreat them
not to join their enemy in making war upon a neigh-
bouring State, which had always lived in ftriét amity
with them. . '

The name of this Ambaffador was Jacopo Vivian?,
a man, who not long before had been thrown into
prifon by Paolo Guinigi for being concerned in a con-
fpiraqy againft him : and as Guinigi had pardoned

him.

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Book IV. OF FLORENCE. 959

hitDy though he was found guilty, he thought be
might reafonably cxpeft his belt endeavours to ferve
him. But the remembrance of the danger he had
cfcaped, making a deeper impreffion upon him, than
the fenfe of the favour he had received^ when he
came to Florence he fccretly advifcd the Citizens to
purfue their dcfigns. Flattered by this encourage-
ment and the hopes they had already conceived, the
Signiory aflemblcd the Common Council, where the
matter was debated by fome of the leading. mico (^
the Republic, in the prefence of four hundred and
ninety-eight Citizens. Amongft the chief of thofe
that promoted the enterprize, was Rinaldo degli Àl-
bizi (as was faid bcforej who Ihewed them ibe ad-
vantages that would refult from making themfelves
fnaftcrs of Lucca : that they could never hav* a fairer
opportunity than the prefent, as that State was then
abandoned both by the Venetians and the Duke of
Milan, and could not be relieved by the Pope, who
was fufBciently embroiled in the affairs of Napkin:
that the fucccfs was certain, as the government of
Lucca was then ufurped by one of its own Citizeps,
and had loft much of its ancient vigour and alacrity
in defending its liberties; fo that it was more thaa
probable it would be delivered up into their bands,
either by the people, to get rid of their tyrant, or by
the tyrant for fear of the people. He then recited
many inft^nces of Guinigi's malevolence and of the
injuries he had done their Republic-, affuring them
they would find him a thorn in their fide, and a very
dangerous enemy, ir they (hquld chance to be en-
gaged in a frefh quarrel with the Duke, or the Pope ;
, and concluded with faying, " that no war was ever
entered into by the State of Florence with more juftice
on its fide, or more likely to be attended with fuccefs
and adt^antage to the public.*'

In anfwcr to this, Niccolo da Uzzano faid, " that
on the contrary, he could not help being of opinioa
that they had never engaged in any undertaking that
was more unjuft^ more hazardous, or more likely

S 2 to

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Mo THE HISTORY Book W.

to be of fatal coqfequenccto the State. That in the
firft place, they were going to declare war againft a
city of the Guelph pafty, which at all times had
ibeen a friend to the Florentines, and had often re*
ceived the Guelphs with open arms, and with great
peril and prejudice to itfelf, when they were not fuf-
•fcrcd to live at peace and fafety at home. That there
was no inftance to be found in the annals of the Corn-
monwcakh of any offence that the Lucchefohad ever
^ivcn them : that if thofe who at different timeis had
fufcirped the government of their State, as Caftruccio
forrtierly, and Guinigi at prefenr, had done them any
injury, it ought not to be imputed to the Citizens,
-but to the Tyrant* that' ruled over them. That if
cthéy coold piakc war upon one, without hurting the
-Other,, he fliould not be againft it : but fince that was
d»|)aflible, he tlibught it moft cruel and unjuft, that
41 pebple with whom they had always lived in amity
'^d ^Ifiance, fhi)uld be plundered and ftripped 6f
:thèir goods and territories without any caufe or òf-
vfencci that however, as they lived in an age when
Jittle account was made of juftice, he fliould drop
that confideration, and confine himfclf chiefly ta
what regarded dommon Utility and the welfare of
tthe Republic* Thofe meafures, he faid, might be
efteemed good and fafe, artd therefore profitable,
'Hihich were not liable to be attended with lofs or da-
mage: but he did not fee hiow anyone could call
that undertaking profitable, where the lofs was cer-
tain, and the gain precarious. The certainty of lofs
proceeded from the expence it muft occafion y tlie
tgrcatnefs of which was enough to alarm even a city
'That had long lived in tranquillity, but much more
their own, which had already been fufficiently har-
raffcd and exhaufted by a tedious and devouring war.
The profit they might expeft to reap was the ac-
• quifition of Lucca, which he confeflcd," was eon-
^fiderable : but the difficulties and uncertainty of fuc-
■ ceeding in the enterprize ought likewife to be re-
mcmbcredi and appeared to him fo great, that he

thought:

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Book IV. OF FLORE N'CE. 261

thought it impoffìblé. For it wa(s not to be imagined
that either the Venetians or the Duke of Milan would i
fufFcr them to make fuch a conflueft, iKough'the for-;
mcr perhaps might, conceal their defigns at prcfent,
Dot to feem ungrateful to the Florentmcs, at whofc i
cxpence they had lately enlarged their dominions fo
cònfiderably : and the latter would be glad to fee -
them entangled in a new war, and impovcriflicd with
frefh expences, that fo he might fall upon them
again with greater advantage. That in the mean
time, when they vainly thought themfelves fureft of
fuccefs, he would find fome means or other, of Ipp-
plying the Lucchefe with money either publickly or ,
privately ; and if that was not fufficicnt, he might
pretend to diiband his troops and fend them as fol* .
diers of fortune into their fcrvice. Upon which ac*,
count, he would advife them to give up the. cnter-^
prize, and rather endeavour to excite the people of
Lucca to rife againft their Tyrant ; for if nothing
dfe would fatisfy fome perfons but the acquifition ef '
that city, he thought there was no way fo likely to'
cfFeft it, as to fufFcr them to live under the opprcffioa
and infolence pf the ufurpcr. For if the matter way '
conduced with prudence, things might foon bq
brought to fuch a pafs there, that the tyrant would
r)ot be able to fupport himfelf in his goverrimenr,
^fjd fhp Citizens not knowing how to govern of them*
felves, muft of neceffity give it up to them. But
that he faw the Council in a mariner already deter-
mined, and that his advice was not liftened to;
However, he yvpuld take upon- him to prophcly^
that the war wo^ld be attended with a very grievous
expence and much danger j that, inttead of making
themfelves mafters of Lucca, they would only enable
it to ihake off its prefent yoke ; and from a weak an4
opprcffed city that was in amity with them, it woul<l
become a free State, and an enemy too ; which in
time might prove no inconfiderablc obftacle to the
aggrandizement of their own Republic.''

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262 T H E H I S T O R Y Book IV.

After both fides of the qucftlon had been thoroughly
canvaffed, they proceeded as ufual to ^ a ballot, by
which it appeared, that out of fo great a number,
there were only ninety-eight againft a war. It was
therefore refolved upon ; and ten Citizens being ap-
pointed to conduft it, they raifed both horfe and
foot, made Aftorre Gianni and Rinaldo degli Albizi
their commiffaries, and agreed with Niccolo Fòrte-
braccio to be their Commander in chief, on condition
that hfe (hould be fufFcred to keep poflcfTion of the
towns and fortreflcs he had already taken. When
the commiflarics arrived with their troops in the ter-
ritories of Lucca they divided their army; Aftorre
marching with one part through the plains towards
Camaggiore and Pietro Santa ^ and Rinaldo towards
the mountains with the other; imagining that when
ail communication was cut off with the Country, the
city muft foon fall into their hands. But this cxpe-

• A manner of voting in elections, debate», or criminal caufes by
dropping black or white balls, called Bastes by the French, into a
box or bag or fomething of that kind ; the white ones fignifying af-
fcnt, the black ones diifent i by which every man is at liberty to vote
according to his confcience, not being in awe of any one, or fear of
having it known which way he gave his vote : the majority of white
baHs determining fir the queftion, of black balls agatnft it. This
Utm% to be a vtty equitable manner of proceeding, and is of great
antiquity. In the trial of criminal caufes at Rome, an A upon the
Balots which the Judges threw into an Urn» iignified the wbol^ word
word AbM'vo. or, / aBJbUui the ferfon accufed t whence Cicero calls yf^
Uttra falutar'uy a fa<ving Utter. They had other Balots with a C
upon them which (ipnified Condemnor I condemn the per fm acatfed; anci
others likewise mark^ with the letters Af and L. Non Liquet^ to or-
der that the matter iboUld be further enquired into: as the Judges
hereby declared, that it was not fufficiently plain, and tliat they
would not decide it whilft it remained fo. This wa» alfo fometimes
exprelfed n/itfa ^voce, by the word Amplius, as we may learn from the
following paflage in Cicero : ** Caufam pro Publicanis dixit Caelius.
Confutes re audita amplius de Concilii fententia pronunciarunt. Cae-
lius pleaded for the publicans. The confuls, after they had heard
hini, by the advice of the Senate, pronounced, let this matter he fur*
iher enquired into^ The Greeks lifcewife ufed this cuftom in their
criminal caufes, bani(hments or oflracifms, fo called from writing
the /entence or acquittal upon oyfter-ihells, or by throwing black or
wh^te beans into a covered Urn. It is a pity it is not ftill continued
in all great aflfemblies, as it feems fo well calculated to prevent cor-
^tfuption. Some interpret the faying of Pythagoras, ahjiine a fabis, as
an admonition not to meddle in public affairs, efpechdly in fen*
tcnces.

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BùèkIV. OF. F L:0 R E N C E. 263

dition proved unfortunate to 'them both in the end :
for though they took feveràl towns, yet their conduit
was highly cenfured by the Public V and Aftorre's in-
deed with great reafon.

There is a Va:le near Pietra Santa called Seravezza,
which, at that time was very rich and foil of inhabit-
ants, who hearing of the commiflafy's approach, went
put to meet hioi, and entreated him to receive them
into his protedion, as faithful fubjefts to the State of
Florence. Upon which, Aftorre feeming to accept
their fubmiffion with pleafure, ordered his forces to
fcize upon all the pafles and ftròrig places in the
Vale : artd having aflembled them all in their prin-
cipal Church, he kept them prifoners there, and
caufed his foldiers to plunder and ravage the whole
Country, with unheard of avarice and barbarity ;
not fparing even the confecrated places, or women of
any degree or profeffion whatfoever. When the news
of thefe proceedings arrived at Florence, not only the
Magiftracy but the whole city was exceedingly ofr '
fepdcd. And fome of the Seravezzahs, who had
/escaped from the commiflary, flying diredly to Flo-
rence^ made fuch grievous complaints and lamen-
tations to every one they met in the ftreets, that many
of the Citizens, who either thought Aftorre deferved
to be feverely punilhed for thefe mifdeeds, or hated
him becaufe he was not of their party, advifed them
to apply to the Council of Ten, and defire an au-
dience ; which being granted, one of them thus ad-
drefled himfelf to the Council. " We humbly truft,
'Magnificent Loirds, that you will give credit to our
l?cpprff and compafljonate our Unhappy condition,
V^fO y^^ fl*-^'^ ^^^^ heard in what manner your
Commiflary has fcized upon our Country, and how
We have been fince treated by him. Our Vale, as
the records of your city will amply teftify, has ever
been of the Guelph party, and often afforded a fecure
retreat to fuch of your Citizens as fled xo it from the
perfecution of the Ghibclines. Both our ancefl:oV$
^q4 oprfdves hayc at zìi times (hewa ihe higheft rt-

S 4 gar4

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a64 T H E ' H I. STT O. R Y Bool IV.

gard for this renowned '.C^mrTiOnwealdi, as the hea<i
and fupport of our party : and whilft the Lucchcfe
continued to avow the faipe principles, we voluntarily
fubmitted to their government: but fince they arc
fallen under the dominioo of a Tyrant who has for-
faken his former àliics, and gone over to the Ghi-
belines, we have obeyed him indeed, but it has been
out of con(lraint,> and not any good w^l or inclinadoa
of our own. We call God to witncls how often wc
have prayed his Divine providence to give us an op-
portunity of ftiewing our afFedion to our ancient
friends. But how fallacious are the hopes of men I
what we thought would have been our redemption,
hacs proved our utter ruin. For when wc had intcl*
ligence that your Standard was advancing towards
our Vale, we came out to meet the commiffary, not
as an enemy, but as a fervant of our ancient matters,
and delivered up our Country, our fortunes, and our
perfons into his hands, recommending ourfclves to
his proteftion, upon a prefumption that he had the
foul, if not of a Florentine, at leaft of a man. But
pardon our freedom, we befeech you, Magnificent
Lords,- Cfince the refleftion that our misfortunes arc '
already fo great that they cannot be increafed, infpires
us with this degree of confidence) your commiiHlry
has nothing of a man but the Ihape, nor of a Flo-
rentine but the name. He is a Peftilence, a wild
Beaft, and fuch a monfter of luft and cruelty, as was
never let loofe upon any people before. For having
drawn us all together into one of our Churches un-
der the pretence of a conference, he firft made us
prifoners, and then carried fire and fword through'
the whole Vale, plundering and murdering the men,'
violating the chaftity of the married women, and'
tearing thofe that were unmarried from the arms of
their mothers, to deliver. them up to the brutality of
bis mercilcfs foldiers. If we had provoked him to
thefe barbarities by any injury done either to himfelf
gr the Republic of Florence:-, oi" if we.had fo muchf
ai^ taken up^ arms in our own >àckncCy we fbould
% have

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Btiok IV. O F F L O^ R M N C E. ««fj

have had the léfs reafoii to com^dn ; nay we ftiouldr-
have juftly condttiined ourfelves, for bringing Adin
upon our own heads, arid confidered them as a punifh-
rrient diie'to oiir arrogance. But as we delivered up
ourfelves, freely and unarmed, into his hands ; to be
afterwards treated in this" irihattìan manner, exceeds
all patience and juftifies out biteereft lamentations;'
Jind though we might have' niade not only Lorn-
bkrdy but every part of Italy ririg with a recital of*
otrr forrows, to t;he great difgracc of jthis city ; we
did not think ourfelves at liberty to do fo however,
for fear of ffaining the reputation of fo bènefiièent amT*^
hT)nourable a Republic with art imputatbn of crim»>
committed by the malevolence and villany of a pri-
vate fubjeft *, whofe unexampled avarice (if we- had'
known the man before) we would have endeavoured
to fatiate if poffible (though indeed it feems to have''*
no bounds) by facrificing one part of our eftates, to'
prcferve the other ; that fo we might have efcaped'
irretrievable ruin. But fince that is now too late,-
and we have no refuge left to fly to but your com*
paSion, we befeech you. Magnificent Lords, to pity
the miferable condition of your poor and deftitutc
fbbjeéls ; left others hereafter may be deterred by our
example from putting themfclves under, your pro-
icftion. If the greatnefs of our fufFerings is not fuf-
ficicnt to move pity, let the fear of God's vengeance,
however, excite you to punifh the wretches who have
fo impioufly dared to rifle and burn his churches^
and to maflTacre the people, whom they had fo bafely
betrayed, before his very altars/' And having thui
faid, they threw themfelves at their feet, weeping and
infiploring them to caufe their goods and eftates to bè
reftored; and fince their honour could never be re-
paired, that they might* àt leàflrhave the confolatiod
of feeing their wives returned to their hufbands, and
their daughters to their parents.

The enormity of thefe' fafts, fupportcd not onl^
by conimon fame, but thè teftimony of thefufFéreVà
ihcmfelrycs, enflamed the Magiftracy to fcrcìt a^ dc^

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^^é, THE HISTORY: Bjjok IV.

j^ee, thajt Aflprrc va^ not on^y recalled immediately*
l>ut calbecrcd, ^fid rendered for ever incapable of
hcifig employed ag^in in the feryice of tl^e Repul^lic.
A ftri<^ fearch ,^a? likewife made after thjC effp^? of
the Serave^zans, and wfiat could be lound w^s re^
((ored fb the owpqfs; for^ the rc(l they were affiffT
wards indeipnified at t|ie expence of the jpLepublic.

Rinaldo degli A|bi^ W9S alfo accufcd of carrying
op the war ip fuch a n[)anner as jtended only to his ow^i
private ac)vantjagp, without apy regard to that of the
Copotpopwcalch. Th^y faid> that after he was ap-
pointed commiflfary, he thought po rnorc of the re^
4u6tion of Lucca, but erpploycd himfelf ;p plunder-
ing the Country to flock his own eftate with jchp cat-
t|e, and furni(|i i\\s houfe with the fpoil of othefs.
That he was nop consent with the booty hg Jiad aqja^ed
h)mfelf^ but bought up ^11 that l^ad been taken by
the common fo}dier§ : (b that inftcad of a comipiffary,
l}e was becpme a P^wn-broker. Thefe calumnips ejc-
ceedingly piortified his pride, (for he was a hayghty,
though an honeft and upright man) and raiiecj hi§
paflions to fuch a height, as was not confident with
the charader of his gravity and wildom. He there-
fore took pod full of rage apd indignation againft
the Kl^giftrites, anjJ without waiting for their leave,
immediately returned to Florence, and prefented him-
felf ^eforc the poqncij of T^n ; whom he told with-r
put ^py <:erempny or refervc, *^ that he well knew,
how difficult apd dangerous a thing it was» to ferve an
unbridled People, and à divided State j fince the onq
w^ carried away with ^very rumour ; the other, pu?
a pialicious interpretation upon anions that wcr^
doubtful, and always punilhcd the evil, but never
rewarded the good. So that if a commander fuc-
ceeded in an e^cpedition^ he had no praife at all; if
he was guilty of an error, his conduft was cenfure4
by the generality 5 but if lie mifcarricd, he was fure
to be condemned by every one : for in one cafe, his
own party would envy his fuccefs, and his adverfarie|
pot fail to infult him in the other. That, howcvfr,

!

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Book IV. OF FLORENCE. stf;

he liad ntvcr been difcouraged by the fear of idle
(lander and undeferved rep^roach, from purfuing any
undertaking, that he was convinced would be of real
advantage' to his Country, That indeed, the afper-
fions fo unjuftly thrown upon hini at prefenr, had
overcome his patience and difcompofed his ufual teni-
per. That he advifed them to be more ready to de-
fend the reputation of their fervants for the future, if
they expefted to be cheerfully and effeélually ferved
by them : and fince it was not the cuftom of the Flo-
rentines to honour their Citizens with Triumphs, ic
might be hoped at leaft they would protcót them
againft calumny and unjuft accufations. That they
ought to remember that they themfelve's were likewife
officers in the fame Republic, and liable at any time
to be traduced in the fame vile manner, and* then
they would find how grievous fuch treatment was
to men of honour and integrity."

Upon thefe remonftrances, the Council endeavoured
to appeafe his refcntment as much as they could ac
prefent; but gave the further care of conducing that
expedition to Neri di Gino and Alamanno Salviati;
who, inftead of ravaging the Country, determined to
advance direftly to Lucca with their forces ; which,
as it was then very cold weather, had retired into
winter quarters at Capannole. But the commiflaries
who dcfigned to draw nearer, and inveft the towa
without further lofs of time, having ordered them to
ftiarch out and encamp before it, the foldiers flatly
refufed to ftir in that fcvcre feafon of the year ; tho*
the Council of Ten had likewife fcnc them ftrift or*
ders to advance, and faid they would admit of no
excufc.

There was at that time in Florence, one Philip
Brunellcfchi, a celebrated Painter and Architeót,
frjany of whofe paintings and buildings are yet to be
fecn in Florence ^ : and for which the Citizens thought

• At length (fays Voltaire) wealth and liberty excited the gtnius
fs well as the courage 4>f the nation. In Floreiict ^uncllefcbi begaa

thcm-

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26» THÈ HI S T O R Y . Bool^ IV,

thetnfelves fa ij^uch obliged to him, that after his
de«th, they cre^ed a marble ftatue to his inemory if\
the principal CKurch, with an infcription upon it fet-
ting forth his great merit and excellency in' thofe art^,
This Philip havi|i§ reconnoitred the courfe of the ri-
ver Serchio add the fituation of Lucca, informed the .
Council of Ten, that he would undertake to lay that
city under water v and fo far convinced them of the
practicability of hi$ deGgn, that they g^ve him a*
Commiffion to put it in execution. But thjts projc<5k
had a very different eff(?£^, and occafioned fuch dif-
order amongft the Florentine troops that it faved the .
city. For the Lucchefe being aware of it, immedi-»
atcly threw up % ftrong bank, quite acrof^ the mea- .
dows through which they were diverting the current .
of the River upon them. After which, they cut a
fluicc on? night in the bank of the Qhannel whigh the
enemy had made ; through which the water preffi^tly
took its courfe, and being oppofed by the Dam, ìbè-
^n to rife in fuch a manjier upon the plain abovp,
"where the Florentine army had at laft encamped, that
inftead of advancing any further, they were forced to
raifc their Camp and abandon the cnterprize for that
time.

This expedition having proved unfuccefsful, the
«cw Council of Ten which had lately been appointed,
fcnt Giovanni Guicciardini to fupcrfede the late com-

to revive the ancient tafte of Archite£ture. Giotto was remarkably
for his Paintings, and Boccaccio afcertained the Italian language.
Guido of Arezzo invented the new method of mulical notes. Iti
Petrarch and Dante there is a great number of paflag^es wherein we
admire the vigour of the Ancients joined to the frefhnefs of the mo-
derns. What gave modern Rome iome fuperiority ovei* the ancient,
was the Cupola of St. Petcr*s. There were only three antique mp?
numents of this kind extant in the world ; part of the dome of the
temple of Minerva at Athens, the dome or the Pantheon at Rome,
. and that of the great Mofque at Conftantinople, formerly St. Sophia's,
built by Jaftinian. But thefe Cupolas, though fuifìciently raifed on
the infide, were too flat without. Brunelleichi, the reltorer of Ar-
chitecture in Italy in the fifteenth century, remedied this defeól in
the cathedral of Florence, by building two Cupolas one within the
other ; but thofe Cupolas had fomething of the Gothic, and were
not in juft proportion. Vol. ii. pan iii. p. 5. and Vol. iii. part v^,
f. 104.

miffaries j

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•Book IV. <) F ' F L O k E N -e E. é^

miflarits ; who fat down with his irtny as near tlje
town as he could. The Lord of Lucca théreforfc,
feeing^ himfelfclofdybcfieged^ fcAt Sylveftro Trenta
anci Ludovico Bohvifi to follici t relief from the Ì)ukc
ot Milan, by the advice of Antonio del Roflo, wKo
at thai timie rrfided with him as envoy from theRé-
^public of Siena. But thefe Deputies finding him un-
'"^ willing to fend any fuccour to their mailer, afflfrcd
him privately in their own name and that
.pte of Lucca, that if he would fend a bo
to their afliftance, they would feize upon
and deliver both him and the town intc
'but if he did not, the Tyrant would c
up the. town to the Florentines, who had
Very advantageous terms. This fuggeft
fo effcdlually upon the Duke, that he
laid affde . all referve, and ordered Cou;
Sforza, his General, publickly to demai
for his troops through the territories of
the Kingdom of Naples : which being
advanced with. them to Lucca; thougl"
tines, who faw through his defign, fent t(
common friend Boccacino Alamanni, to
from it. But upon the arrival of Sfors
they withdrew their forces to Librafktta, and the other
went to lay fiege to Pefcia, of which Paolo da Dia-
cetto was then Governor; but he bafely abandoned it
and fled to Piftoia ; fo that if it had not been better
defended by Giovanni Malavoiti, Commander of the
Garrifon there, it muft have fallen into the enemy's
hands. The Count, however, not being able to carry
it byafTault, marched away to Buggiano, which he
took, and burnt the Caftle of Stiliano, a neighbour-
ing fortrefs. Upon which, the Florentines not a lit-
tle chagrined at thefe devaftations, refolved to have
recourfe to a remedy that had often been of great fer-
vice to them in times of danger and diftrcfs; know-
ing by experience, that mercenary foldiers might ge-
nerally be corrupted, when they could not otherwife
be oppofed. For this purpofe, they offered the

Count

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t}0 T H E' H I S T O R Y. Book IV*

Count a fum of money^ provided he would give
Lucca up to them and quit the Country : and tKe
Count finding he was not likely to fqueeze any great
matter out of the Lucchefe, foon began to lend an
car to thofe that could better feed his avarice. He
therefore agreed with the Florentines» rtot abfolutefy
to. deliver Lucca into their hands, which he could noe
for Ihame comply with, but to draw his forces froth
it, upon payment of fifty thoufand Ducats. After
which treaty, in order to engage the Lucchefe to ex-
culb his proceedings to the Duke, he determined to af«-
fift them in depofing their Tyrant.

Antonio del Roflb, the Sienefe envoy, was then in
Lucca, as we have faid before ; and by the Duke*s
authority began to enter into meafures witli the Citi*
zens for that purpofe : the principal of whom were
Pietro Cennami and Giovanni da Chivizano. And-
this they did the more freely, as Lanzilao the Tyrant's
Scui, was then with Sforza, who lay encamped upon
the banks of the Serchio, at a little diftance from
the town. The Confpirators therefore, taking arms,
to the number of forty, went dire(5Uy to Guinigi*s
.houfe in the dead of the night ; who being awaked
by the noife they made, came down .to them trembling
and frighted, and dcfired to know what they wanted.
To which Cennami made anfwer, ** that, as they h^d
been fo long oppreQed by him v^ithin the walls, and
reduced to fuch ftraits by an enemy without, that they
were every day in danger of perilhing either by fa-
mine or the fword, they were now rcfolved to govern
; themfelves ; and therefore demanded the Keys and
treafure of the city to be delivered to them." Qui-
nigi replied, '• that the treafure was all fpent, but
the keys and himfelf were at their fervice: that be
hoped however, as his reign had both begun and been
continued till that time without blood, there would
be none (hed at the conclufion of it/* Upon which
fubmiffion hià life was fpared for that time: bue
Sforza took both him and his Son along witb him to

the

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Botìk IV. fOF F L O R E N C È* vfi

the Doke at Milan, 'whert they died not long after in
prifon.

At the departure of the County thcLacchcfe bciug
fpccd from die yoke of their Tyrant, and the Floren-
tines from the fear of the Duke's forces -, one fide
began to prepare for their defence, and the othtr to
' rencv^ hoftilities. The latter having appointed the
Count;' of Urbino their Commander in chief, laid
ciofchfiege to the towni and reduced the* Lucchefc
to fuch extremities, that tliey were obliged to make
frcfli application to the Duke, who, under tbc^famc
pretext that he had before fent Count Sforza» now
lent Niccolo Piccinino to their fuccour. But ' the
Florentines refolving to difpute his paflfage over the
Serchio, zs he was advancing to relieve the to^n,
came to aa engagement with him upon the banks of
. the River ;ip which they received fo great an over-
throw, that ©nly the commiiTary and a Very few of
his men efcaped the hands of the enemy, and fled to
Pifa. This defeat threw the city of Florence into
:the utmoft confterhation ; and as the expedition had
been undertaken almoft by general confent, the people
not knowing againft whom elfe to turn, their rage,
began to abufe thofe that had conduced the war
(fmce they could not well tell how to blame thofe
who by their own inftigation had firft advifed it)- and
revived their old calumnies againft Rinaldo degli Al-
bizi. But the pcrfon whom they fell upon with the
greateft virulence was Giovanni Guicciardini, who,
they faid, might eafily have put an end to the war
after the departure of Count Sforza, if he had not
been bribed : nay, they went fo far as to charge him
with fending a horfe-load of money to his own houfe,
and particularly nientioned the names both of thofe
that carried, and thofe that rcceivedjt. Thcfe clamours
and accufations made fuch a noife, that the Captain of ,^
the People could not help taking cognizance of fo
public a charge; efpccially as he was likewife impojr-
tunately called upon fo to do by Giovanni*s enemies.
Having ciced him therefore to clear himfelf of this

impu-

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J72 T H*E H I S T O R ìY fioòk IV.

itttputatlon^ he .made his appearance,. but wth.rouch
fceming indignation, and contempt of their maliqe^
and his rriations exerted thémftìves {o ftrcniioufly
for the honour of. their family, that the Captain was
obfiged to ftop all further proceedings againft him.

The Lucchefe after their late viftory not only re-
covered t^e towns, they had loft, but poflcffed them-
felves of all the territories of PKa, except Biaitina,
Calcinala, iLivorno (orrLcghora) and Libiifetta : and
if a confpiracy had not been difcovcred, which was
formed in Pifa, that city .would alfo have been loft
amoufi: the reft. The Florentines however recruited
their army, and put it under the Command of Mi-
cheletto *, who had been bred up under Sforza. The
Duke on the other hand, did not fail to purfue his
advantage', and in order to defeat all fature^atten^pts
of the Florent'mcs more cfiWlually, Iw prevailed upon
theGcfiocfe, theSienefe, and the ILond of IPigmbitio,
to enter into a league for the defence of Lucca and
to. take Piccinino into their-pay : which laff ciroum^
ftahce fo plainly difcóvered his defign», that the Flo-
rentines likewife renewed their confederacy with the
Venetians. Upon this, open hoftiHties were imnoe-
diately commenced in Lombardy and T^ifcany^
where the war was carried on, and fevcral flcirmilbes
cnfvied with various fuccds on each fide: till at laft
they were both fo tired, that a general Peace was
concluded in the Month of May 1435": by which it
was agreed, that whatfoever towns had been taken
by the Florentines, Lucchefe and Sienefe Ibould be
mutually rcftored to their former poffeflbrs.

During che courfe of this war abroad, the faftious
humours began to ferment again at home; and Co-
.fimo de* Medici, after the deccafc of Giovanni, be-
gan to aft with greater fpirit in public* affairs, and
vriih more opennefs and zeal for the good of his friends,
than ever his father had done : fo that thofe that re-
joiced at the death of Giovanni, were not a little

• The fumarne is wantuJg.

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feooklV. OF F L O R E 5J^ C $• ayi

tìa^pped at the proceedings of his Son. Cofimo.
was a man of very great prudence, of a fedate and
^reeable countenance, exeeding. liberal and humane :
Uever entering into any meafures that would be per-
nicious to the State,, Of even the party that he op^
pofcd ; but taking all opportunities of doing good to
every one, and of conciliating to himfelf the af* •
fefltions. of his fellow Citizens by his goodnefs and
generofity. So. noble an example of benevolence,
greatly increafed the hatred which the. public had al*
ready conceived againft the governing party, and at
the fame time was the beft method he thought he
could take, to enable himfelf either to live wi^h re-
putation and fccurity in Florence, or to get the bet-
ter of any pcrfecution that the malice of his ene-
.mics. might raife againft him, by the intereft he had
"with the people, andeven^ if neceflary, by force of
arms. There were two Citizens that contributed
more than any, of the reft to promote this intereft,
whofe names lycre Averardo de' Medici, ^nd Puccio
de* Pucci : the one by his boldnefs and adivity,
the other by his great wifdom and experience, which
added much rcputatioii to his p^rty^ And indeed
the judgment and. authority of the latter were fb ge-
;nerally revered, that he gave name to the party,
.which was not called Cofimo's, buit Puccio's party.

In .this divided ftate of the City, the expedition
againft Lucca was undertaken; which, Jnftead ofex-
. tingu){hing the;rage of faftion, ftill added fuel to ir.
For though Puccio's party had promoted and advifeji
z war, jet thofe of the other fide ^were chiefly em-
ployed in conducting it, fs th^y had greater power
in the government. And f^nce Averardo de* Medici
and his friends could not by any means prevent this,
' they took eyeny opportunity of defaming them at^d
calumniating their aclion^ : fo that when they met ,
wii:h any misforcuae (as th^y did with fcvcral) it*vas
pot imputed to the fuperior ftrength or better ma-
' Dagement of the ienejny, but t.o ,tHe:mifcondu<2: aqd
.imprudence V of the Comtniflaryr This was the oc-
VoL. I. , ^ * T ' cifioà

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Ì74 • t M E H I S T O R Y Hook IV.

frafion that the enormities committed by Aftorre
Gianni, though very great indeed of thcmfclve^,
' ivere ftill exaggerated. It was this fort of treatment
that provoked Rinaldo degli AlbÌ2d to fuch a degree*,
that he left his command without permiffion» This
ivas the true caufe of Giovanni Guicciardini being
cited to appear before the Captain of the People,
from hence proceeded all the charges and complaints
that were exhibited againft other Magiftrates an4
Commiflaries : and whilft thofe that had any» fouir-
dation were always aggravated, and fometimes fup^
ported by downright falfehood, the people greedily
fwalloWed all, whether true or falfe, out of the hatred
they bore to them. And though Niccolò da Uzzano
àhd the other heads of that party, were fufficiently
aware of thefe bafe artifices, and had fcveral private
meetings to confider of proper means to prevent the
efFéft of them, yet they could not fix upon any ex-
pedient. It ^as very dangerous, they knew, to coir-
'hht àt them, and not lefs fb to proceed to open vio-
lence. Uziano himfelf was averfc tq any remedies
of that kind. But Niccolò Barbadori^ feeing they
were hàfrafled in this manner with war abroad, and
fafliion at home, took an opportunity of going one
day to Vrfit him at his own hoofe, where he found
him very thoughtful and alone in his ftudy ; and as
he himfelf wiftred to fee the ruin of Cofrmo, he left
no rhcthoc} Untried to prevail upon Uzzano to jofn
with kintaido degli AlWzi to drive him out of the.
City. .

After fbmepaufe, Uzzano reptied, **It woalcfbe
much better for yowfelf and your family too, Bar-
badori, and for the Commonwealth in general, if
both you aftd alt others that propofc fi/ch meafures,
had * beards of fiber iftftcad of gold, as youf nanle

• Bartja éTotò, in the Itdià% ignìfies a heard ufgoltf, Thiy if
therefore one of thofe little ptiiM, er conatti, from which the very
beft authors that wrote in MachiaveKs time, and long after, are not
altogether free» They were not peculiar to Italj^j for we find the»
liattered in freal pif^nty (the more is the pity) tlurough tho work»jDf
Ike firH latt Geniuses of odr owa country^

iflBh

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imports : for then every one might hope for wife and
-wholcfome counfel fromi gfcy hairs and long expe-i
tience. Common prudence, however, I (hòuld thinks ^
Would be fufficient to induce thofe that àdvife the
expuWon'of Cofimo, in the firft place, to compare
their own ftrength with-his. Our party, it feems, is
now diftingulQitd by the name of the Nobility, and
the other, by that of the Plebeians. And fuppofing '
there was any juft reafon for that diftinftion, fuccels
in fuch an undertaking would ftill appear very du*
bious ; and we ought rather to fear the- worft, t hart
Jbope for aay good from it, when we remember the
fate of the ancient Nobility of this City, who at laft
were" utterly fupprefled in their contefts with the Ple^
beians. And we have ftill fewer advantages on our
fide than they had : for our party is divided, whilfl:
that of our adverfaries is compatì: and entire. Neri
di Gino and Nerone di Nigi, two of the chief meri
in the City, have not yet declared themfelves, and
it is uncertain what fide they will take. Several fa*-
mflics are divided amongft themfelves; and many
there are that hate us, and favour our adverfaries^
merely out of- envy or malice to their own- brothers»
or fomé other near relations. Some of the moft con*
fiderableof whom^ I fhall mention*, the reft will na*
turally occur to youc own memory and obfervation*
Amongft the fons of Mafo degli Albini, Luca, out
of hatred to Rinaldo, is gone over to the other fide*
In the family of the Guicciardini, Pietroj the fon of
Luigi, is a mortal enemy to his brother Giovanni^
arid joins our adverfaries. Tomafo and Niccolò So-
dcrini openly oppofe us out of picque to theif uncle
Francifcoi So that if we confider the quality of
thofe that conftitute their partyj and of whomoui'
own confiftsj I fee no reafon why one (hould be called
the Nobility in preference to the other. If it is be»-
CftUfe they are followed by the whole body of thè
Plebeians; that very cir<iumftancc makes them (é
much fuperior to u», that if ever we come to aft opeA
trial of our ftrength^ we (hall not be able toftand

T à ': be.

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before them. And if we ftill contmue in pofleQloii
of the firft places in the Commonwealth, it is eni*
tirely owing to the eftabliibed credit of an admint*
ilration, which has now fupportcd itfelf for the fpac<
Gf fifty years. But if things ihould come to extrcr
mities, and our prcfent weakneis be difcovered, you
may depend upon it, we fhould be forced out of the
Magiftracy, perhaps to our utter dcftruftion. If it
be faid, that the juftice of our caufe will increafe our
teputation, and diminifh that of our enemies ^ I an-
fwer, that it is neceflary the people (hould firft be
convinced, that it really is a juft one : ^nd how can
that be done, fince it muft plainly appear, that the
motives of our proceedings are founded merely upoo
a jealoufy that Cofimo may attempt to ufurp a fb-
vereignty over this Republic. If we entertain fuck
fufpicions of him ourlelves, others are fo far from
doing it, that they accufe us of thofe very defigns
with which we charge him. What reafon is there for
thefe apprchenfions, they will fay, except that he
freely lends money to every one that wants it ; AO(
only to- private people, but to the public, upon any
exigency, and to foreigners as well as Florentines^
that he is a friend to fuch as ftand in need of pro*
teAion; or becaufe he fometimes helps to advance a^
acquaintance tola reputable employment in the Com-
monwealth, by the iniercft which his univerfal bc-
fievplencc has gained him amongft the people ? What
then (hall we be able to plead as an excufe for en-
jdeavouring to expel him the City ? Shall we accuie
him of being charitable, friendly, liberal, and bcr
loved by every one ? Tell me, I pray you, what lanf
prohibits or condemns charity, liberahty, and beno-
ficence. Indeed thefe virtues are fometimes fcounterr
feited to cajole the vulgar, by fuch as afpire to dor
iptnion ; but they do not appear in that light at prci-
lent, oor is it in our power to make them ; wc have
Jk>fi: our reputation by our late mifconduà ; and fir
p^le naturally prone to faftioia, and corrupted -by
continuai divifiops^ will ao longer |>ut any. coo^dence
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in us, or give credit to fuch accufations. But fup-
pofc wc (hould fuccccd fo far as to get him banifticd
(which indeed might poffibly be done if the Signiory
would concur in it) how (hould we prevent his return,
when he has fo many powerful friends left in the
City, who would never reft till they had got him re-
called ? This would be to no purpofe therefore^
Whilft his' intefeft is fo great, and the remembrance
of his benevolence fo frefh upon the minds of the
people ; and the more we fhould banilh of his de-
clared friends, the.more we fhould augment the num-
ber of our own fccrct enemies. So that when he re-
turned, as he certainly would do in a fliort time, we
fliould find, that we had done nothing more, thao
banifti a good man, and bring back a bad one, as
his difpofition would be altered by thofe that hacj
procured his reftoration ; ro whom he would think
himfelf under fuch obligations, that he could not op-
pofe them in any thing. But, if it is intended to put
him" to death in a judicial nianner, that can never be
cffefted V for as he is rich, and the magiftracy cor*
rùpt, he Will be fure' toefcape all punilhmerit. But
|et us fuppofe he (hould be condemned, or perhaps
never return from exile; I cannot perceive what the
Commonwealth woirtd* gain by that: for no fooncr
^ill it be fr^e from the. apprehen^ons it was under
from CofinK>, but it will be liable to the fanie from
IRLinaldo. For my Qwn part, I am one of thofe that
pever dpiire to fee one Citizen exceed another in aur
ihority, And if one of thefe two muft feize thereins^
1 know not any reafon that (hould induce me to prefer
Rinaldo to Cofjmo. I haye nothing further to add,
but that I pray God to preferve this City from ever
falling under the dominion of any one man ; but, if
^ time (hould ever come when ogr fips (hall bring
that judgment upon us, I pray &i\i more earneftly,
that we may nój become' fubjeft to Rinaldo. L^t
jne exhort you, therefore, not ?o perfifl: in a de(ign
that is every way fo full of danger, nor to imagine
tl^4t you^all be able to get thq^etterof the multi-
• "' " T 3 -^ "' tud^

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*7Q THE H I S T O R Y Book IV,

tude by the CO- operation of fo. few affiftants as yon
will have : for take my word for ir, the far greater pare
of the Citizens, fome out of ftupidity, and others
out of malice, are thoroughly difpofed to fell their
foundry -, ^nd fortune has been fo favourable to them
as to provide a purchafer. Take, my advice then for
once J endeavour to Ijve quietly; and as to any.ia-
yafion of our liberties, b^ aflure4, that yoq have as
much to apprehend from pur own party, as the pthcr^
"When troubles arife, take no fide *, for by (landing
neuter, you will be upon good terms with every one^
and advantage yourfe)f, without prejudicing your
Country"

Thefe diflu^fions, in fome meafur^, cooled Barba*
^ori's refplptipn : fo that the City continued tolerably
quiet, till the'war with Lucca was over. But a peace
being concluded, and ^lizzano dying foon after,
there was nobody left of fufficient authority to fup-
prefs the ill humours that began to fhew themfejvcs
again without ^referye, v^hen all reftraint was at an
end. Rinaldo degli Albizi in particylar, who now
looked, upon himfelf as the Head of th^t party, was
fpntinyaljy teazipg an$i iipportùning (uch Citizens as

♦ " It is a ijfi5n*s iuty^ faid a celebrated hpt ui^h^py Pr^ate of
cur Church, to keep himfelf always from embarking in parties and
6i6^ipQfi> and falling with vehemence into all the Snter^ftsand defigns
9f thpm. This ^ill .neceffarily, in time,-fmbitter hit fpirit?,- an<l
lour his humour, make him like and diflike men implicity^ and leadj
Jilm into miny4»e(entments Which he hath nothing 'to 'do with/' Bi-
ftiop Attfsrbury's Sprmoi^, publiQied by Dr. MoorCi vol. ii. p. 335;
^his paflage occurs in that upon Rom. xii. 18. The author of Dr.
Aftl)«torv's Life^ljan eminent Divine, who died at the beginning ojf
•fhis citntury) -fty^v P- 39» " That he had narrowly obferved the con-
iu£t of ^11 pa,ifties in every reign, durii^ the courfe of ))is life i that
he faw the ma^hefs of the people, and Kow designing men can feduce
them to proclaim .Hofannas at one time, and demand crucifixion at
another.* th^t Ip was aware of the mean fclfi(hnefs, ambition, aod
violence of the bell parties ; which gave him the ("a^e idea of parties
jn general ; andconftquently was fenfible'of the expedience of thofe
precaufiops recommejaded by i^rcl)biibpp Pawe$, in his Sermon Upon
the "«cth of January, ** 1 hat we ought to take pre not to lift our»
Pelvis as- thorough members of any party.*'— It is no extraordinary
|hing, fay? a yery celebrated author, to fee perfons die in that partyv

which they decl^re^ f^VV*^ '^ ^^^5 ®f ? f^^\^^> ^X tjic bcgin^ing of

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Book IV. O F F l. O R È K C E. ^79.

he thought were likely to be; the next Gop&|oni<fs^
to take up arm^3j and delwtr their Country out- of,
the hands of a man, w^o,- taking .t))c ^dv&iw-age of-
the ftupidiiy of fonie, and the malio^ of others, woiilA
ijcrtainly enflave it. Thos Rinaldo, J)y endeavouripg«
tp fupplant his ady^rfaries, and they to fupp0r:t them-,
fclves, kept the whole City in continuali al ^rm and,
fufpicion : fo that when n?w ma^ftrate$ : we^ie ap-j
pointed, it was prefently known how ttiaqy there were,
on one fide, and how many on:th€ otl^r j.and at th^
Jm^orfations for the Signiory, the;;^ was, nothing tor
be fccn but tumult and uproar. Every trifling affair
that was brought before the M^iftracy, created ^
divifion amongft them: all fecrees, were divulged s
they had no regard to juftice; the gopd and the evil
were treated alike ^ and there was not fo much as pn^
* Magiftrate that did his duty.

The City being in this confufion, and Rinaldo im*
patient to lower the authority of Cofimo ; confidering
jwith hifltifclf that Bernardo Guadagni (though a man
^rery fit for.his purppfc) could not be admitted to the
office of Gonfalonier, even if his name Ihould be
<irawn, except the arrears he was in to the public
-were firft discharged, he paid them himfelf, . And as
fortune (the conliant enemy of our City) would have
it, in the Imborfation for a new Signiory, Bernards
wasa^ually dra>*n Gonfalonier for the two enfuing
months of September and Odtoben Upon which,
Rinaldo in)mediately went to . congratulate him, and
^old him, how npucb the Nobility, and allhoneft men
who defired tp live in peace and fecurity, were re-
joiced to fee him in pofleffion of that dignity ; and
jhat it was hc^e4 he wpjild bjehave hinjfelf ia fuch ^
manner as would give them no c^jiufe to repent of ic.
fie then reprefeoted to hin^ the danger they were in
from* their divifions ; that the foreft way to rettore
union amongft them, was to rid themfclves of Co-
fimo, who was the only man that ftood in their way :
that the popularity he had gained by his. inimcnfe
ficheti h^d given hitn fuch an alicend^ncy^ that, if

T 4 tijnely

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tóo^ T HT E H 1 S T 0 ^ t BoiA; Wl

timely caa'e i«raà net taken to prevent h, he "(à^oiik}
certainly make himfclf abfolutc Lord oyer thfem : and
therefore it was ^s duty^ a^ a good Citizen, to pro-
vide agaiftft «he danger, by caMìng the people to-
gether in the Pia2sfl5a, to reinilate the ad minift ration
in its formef* poi^èr, and fecure the liberties of his
Country» He defired him to rtmeitiber the example
of Sylveftro de* Medici, who (ewn without any ap-»
pearance of jiiiftlce on his fide) was able to check tha
©vcr-grown power of the Guelphs, thoqgh they cer^
tainly had-^the fàireft claim to govei^n the city, as a
steward for the blood which their anceftors had fo gc-
neroufly fhod for the dcfenèe of it: and that what
he alone could efi^lft without any juft pretenfions^
and in fpite of fo many powerful adverfaries, might
furely be done again in a joft caufe,'and when therej
was but one man to oppofe them. He exhorted him
to aót with vigour iand refolution, as all lib friends
would immediately take arms to fupport him -, tdi
' make no account of the mob (though they féemeid to
adore Coftmo at prefent) for in time of need, hei
would be ferved by them j lift as Geofgio Scali ftad
been formerly :' nor to ftand in awe of his riches •, for-
when once he wa3 in the power of the Signiory, his
wealth would fall into their hands. He concludedji
-with faying, that when this was done, the Republic
would become united and fecure, and his own re-
putation eftàbli(he<l for ever.** Bernardo made an*
fwer in a few W6rds, «^ that he was folly convinced
of the eixpedieftce and neceflity of what he had'urged:
but as it was high time to proceed to execution, he
defired him to prepare their friends to take arm^ a^
foon as pcflible^ flnce he wà^ perfuaded they Ihould
be fo well fopportèd.'* '

As foon as Bernardo had entered upon his oflice^
their frietids being in readincft, and every thing^ettlcd
betwixt him and Rinaldo, he fummoned Cofimo to
appear before the Signioty; which he did, trufting
rather to his own innocence, than to their mercy 5
though M WS diffiK^ded from it by many^ But he
■•■•-• \ ' ^ ' '- wa5

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Bpok ÌV. 6^ F L O R E N C E. iHf

^as hardly got into the palace, 'before he was arreftcd.
Upon whichi Rinaldo ^nftantly fallièd out of hii
houfe, with a body of armed men, and all the reft of
the party at his heels, and came into the Piazza ;
-where the Signiory affembled the people, and ap*
pointed a Balia, confifting of. t^^o hundred Citizens,
to reform the State. The firft thing that was debated,
after they met to confider of a reformation, was, whe-
ther Gofimo ibould be put to death or not. Some
argued for it, others thought banifhment fuQicient,
and many fat filcnt^ either out of affcftion tq him, or
ftar of the other party : fo that in fuch a diverfity of
opinipns, nothing was dcterniined upon.

In the turret of the palace there is an apartment^
called Alberghettino, to which Cofimo was com*
mitted prifoncr, under the cuftody of Frederigo Mz^
lavolti. From this place he could hear the clamours
of the armed men that were below in the Piazza,
and.frequent outcries for a Balia ; whieK made him
apprehend that his life was in danger, but much more,
that his particular, enemies would take fome extra*
ordinary method to difpatch him. For that reafon,
he would eat no meat for the fpace of four days, ex*
cept a mouthful or two of bread. Of which Mala-
volti taking notice, addreffed himfelf to him in this .
tnanner : ** Whilft you are afraid of being poifoned,
you will ftarve yourfelf to death, to my great dif*
honour; for certainly you muft have a vile opinion
.of me, to fufpeft I would be concerned in fo bafc a
deed. In my opinion, your life it not in any danger,
as you have fo many friends both within the palace
and without^ it : but if there is any fuch defign in
agitatioh, you may affure yourfelf I will not be em-
ployed as an executioner, nor ever (lain my hands
with the blood of any man, much lefs yours, who
never did rtte any injury. Take courage then, eat^
your nteaCi and keep yourfelf alive for the good of
your friends and your country : and that you may
have no further fulpicion of that kind, I will eat with
you myfelf.*' Upon thisenoouragemcnti Cofimo em-
braced

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052 T H E HISTORY Book ÌV.

bfaced him with tears in bis eyes, acknowkdging his

generofity and gentleman-like !;)ehaviour in the molt
thankful maancr, and aiTuring him, he would amply
recompence his kindneflcs, if ever fortune fliould
pur t m his power again to fhew his gratitude.
His apprehenfions therefore being in fome meafure

quieted, and his fate yet Undetermined by* the Balìa,
it happened that Malavolti, to entertain his prifoner,
invited one Farganaccio a friend of the Gpnfalonier's,
aiKÌ a man of huinour and pkafantry, to fup with him.
Upon which, after fupper was almofl: over, Cofimo
hoping to make fome advantage of this vifit (as he
himfelf was well acquainted with him) gave a hint to
Malavx>lti to leave the room, who, pretty well gueffing
at his intention, immediately went out to order fome*
thing that was wanting, as he pretended. When
they were alone, Cofimo after many fair words and
promifesof a greater reward, ,gave his gueft a draught
iipon the Governor of St. Mary's new Hofpital for
eleven hundred ducats, defiring him to keep an biin^
dred himfelf, and to prefcnt the other thoufand to
the Gonfalonier, from whom, he faid, he (hould be
glad to receive the favour of a vifit, if he could find
a proper opportunity. This he willingly undiertook.

. to perform, and gave the money to Bernardo, who
then began to grow cooler and more moderate in the
profecution : fo that after all, Cofimo was only ba-
nifiicd to Padua, though Kin^ildo ufed his utmoft
, endeavours to have him put to death. Averardo de'
Medici and many others of that family were likewifc
baniflied at the f;amc ijnfic, and with them Piaccio and
Giovanni de* Pucci. And to keep thofe in ftill
greater awe that feemed difiatisfied at Cofimp's exile,
the 3alia was redgced tp eight (who were called war-
dens) and the Captain of the ppople. After thefe
regulations, Cofimo was brought before the Signiory,
on the third of Oélober in the year 1433, who pro-
nounced the fentejice of banifhment upon him, and
exhorted him to fubmit to it with, patience, left he
flipuld provoke them to prociced wifh gr?^ter rigour

both

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Book IV. OF F L O R E N C E. ^^

- both againCt his perfon and cftatc. He received the
fentence with a chearful countenance, and afiured
ihem he would ftay with content wherever they fhpuld
be pleafed to fend him ; praying them however, a$
jhcy had fpared his life, that they would proted his
perfon, fince.he knew there were fome in the Palace
that thirfted after his blood. He then took his leave
of them with faying, " that in what part of the world
focvcr he Ihould fojourn, his perfon and fortune
ihould always be at the fervice of tbje Republic, the
. People, and the Signiory." In anfwer to which, the
gonfalonier told him *' he would , take care his life
ihould be in no danger •," and having detained him
in the Palace till ni^ht, he then conduced him to
his own houfe to fup with him, ^nd afterwards or-
dered a party of the guards to efcort him to the con-
fines of the Florentine dominions. Wberevef he
came he was received with great honour, and pub-
licly vifited by the Venetians, who treated him not
as an exile, but as a perfon of the fir ft rank and con-
fcquence in the State.

Florence being thus deprived of fo great a man;,
and fo univerfally beloved, both parties had their ap-
prehenfions: Rinaldo therefore, who faw a ftorm
rifing, refolved not to bè wanting either to himfelf
or his friends : and having called feveral of them to-
gether, he told them, they had now ruined them*
lelves, as they would foon find, beyond all redemp-
tion, by giving way to the tears, fupplications, and
bribes of their enemies, not forefceing that it would
quickly be their own turn to weep and implore com-
^paiTion from thofe who would be deaf to entreaties
and tears : that they would be forced to refund the
principal fum of the bribes th^y had taken, with the
heavy intercft of tortures, executions, and banifh^
jncnts. That it would haVe been much better for
them to. have remained content in their former cir-
cumftances, than to fufFer Cofinio to efcape with life,
^nd leave fo many of his friends in Florence ; as great
IPPR PPght cithpr nf ver to be provoked, or, if they

.arc.

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'Jil4 T tìÈ Ì4lSr'<yRt Book IV.

aim, * » be 6n0rdy cmftifcd. That he faw no remedy

iiow Irftcbttt m cdlleft their ilrength and fortify thcRi-

Mtt^'y that lb, wheti their enemies (hould rife uport

them (which was d^ily td be expedted) they might

be able to clear rha city of them by dint of foree^

'fincc, it fe^med, thi?y could not do it in a judiciary

manner. That for this purpofe, they muft endea-

V&&T to regain the affcftions of the Grandees by re*

ftorfifig them tb their honours and authority (as' he

bad often advifed) and to ftrengthen themfelvcs by

tfceir affiftance, as the other party had done by that

fef the Plebeians. That by fuch a junftion they

ibould confidentblyincreafe their ftrength, and might

pofflbly recover their former power and reputation ;

but if- this laft and only expedient yvas n^t m^de qfé

of, he knew of no other, for his part^ that coulc^

{rticferve them, and indeed th^ Republic hfelf, from

the in^minent ruin it was threatened with amidft fi|

intoy enemies.^ In anfwer to this^ Maribtto Boldq^

vinetti fatdi ♦• that the infoleftce and tyraiiny of the

Grandees, always had bepn, and always would be in-

Alppoi^abl^: and that it would be madrrei^ to run

headlong into a certain and flavifh fabjeélion to them^

when the danger that was apprehended from the Pie-

t^eiMS^ might only be imaginary.*' Rinaldo therefore

fteing his advice rejeded, coul<J not help lamenting

Kfte misfortUiies *that he forefiw were going to faS

-upon Mmfelf and 'l?Ì$ party ; but modéftly imputed

them rather to the malevolence of their d^uiny, thaii

to the blindnefs and perverfenefs of rnetl. ' ' -

Whilft things: were in this fituatioh atid no mianner
trf provifion made for their fecurity, a Ittter was ifi^
rercepted from Agnolo Acciaivoli to' Cofimo, ift
which he informed him of the good difpofition ctf
the Citizens in general towards him^ and adv^led him
to Itìr up a wa^ from fome quarter or other^ ^nd to
make Neri di Gino his friend; as he thotfghy'the
people would then be in want of money to carry it
/OH, and finding no body elle that was able to fupply
them,^ they would naturally turn thdr thoughts upon
•' «iv him.

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ftook IV. Q P F L O R È N C È. ig^

hina, and be fp much the cnorc impatient for his re-
turn. To which he added, ** that if Neri could bjf
any means be detached from Rinaldo, his party
;would be fo much weakened that it would not be abk
to fupport him.'* But this letter falling into the
hands of the Magiftratcs, Agnolo was taken imo
cuftod}^) and afterwards brought to a trial, and fenc
into baniOiment ; which in fome meafure rcftrained
the ardour of tbofe that favoured Cofimo.*

It was now almoft a year fince CofimOvhad beea
banifhed; and at the end of Auguft 1434, Niccolo
di Cocco was drawn Gonfalonier >for the two next
months, and with him eight new Signiprs, all frieodf
to Cofimo ; at which Rioaldo and his party were not
a little alarmed. And as, according to cuftom^. th?
new Signiory could not cnt^r v^pon their office till
three days after they were drawn, Rinaldo once more
applied to the other chiefs of his party, and repre-
icnted to them the certainty and nearnefs of the daiH

fer they were in, and .that there was no refource kft
jut to take amis immediately and oblige Donato VeU
•luti, who was then Gonfalonier, to afiemble the pea-
plein the Piazza, to appoint anoth-er Balia, and de-
tpofe the new Signiory : after which, they might gcft
others dra,wn mor« fie for their purpofe^ by burning
the old Imborfation, and making a freOi one, in
which ^he purffs might be filled only with the frames
of their friends. This refolutbn was. thought prdper
and abfqlutely neccflary by many,} aad by others too
violent and odious. Amongft thpfe that dif^pprovned
It, was Palla Strozzi, a man of a peaceable .and hu-
mane difpofition^ and rather given to ftudy than iiv
-clined tp concern himfelf in the intrigues of faftion,
JHe faid, '* that all fchemes ^hat were either too finely
(pua, or too bold, appeared likely to fucceed at firft
' fight, but generally proved difficult .in the manage-
inenty and pernicious in the end. That be thougi^c
the fear of new enemies abroad (as the ©uke's army
vvas then in Rom^igna and near their confines) (hould
. dPn^k? ii^f Signiory lur^ their .ati*i«Ì9n 19 tfecn\, r^-
.. ... . * iher

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ther than bufy thcmfclvcs in domdftlc feijds : that
however, if they fhouM aftually fee any fteps taken
10 raifc a commotion (which could not well be with-
out their notice) it would then be time enough to
take arms, and make fuch regulations as fliould feem
neceflary for the public fafety, which being done for
their own defence, would alfo oceafion lels wonder
and difguft amongft the people.'* It was therefore
rcfolved to let the new Signiofy enter peaceably upon
the Magiftracy.; but to keep a ftriék watch upon their
cohduft, and if they ftiould attempt any thing to
the prejudice of their party, then to rife immediately
and affemble in the Piazza of St. Pulinare fa place
near the Palace) from whence they might proceed to
a£t as oceafion (hould require.

With this refolution they parted ; and the new Sig-
niory having taken poflcffion of the Palace, the Gon*
falonier, to begin his office with fome aftion that
would give him reputation and ftrike a datnp into
fuch as might think of oppofing him, immediately
committed his predcceflbr Donato Velluti to prifon,
upon a pretence that he had embezzled the public
money. After which, he began to found the reft a£
his aflbciates about Cofimo's return ; and finding them
well difpofcd to it, he communicated their defign to
thdfc that were reputed the Heads of the Medici
party; who all encouraging him to attempt it, he
cited Rinaldo degli Albizi, Ridolpho Peruzzi, and
Niccolo Barbadòri, as the principals of the other
party, to appear before him. But Rinaldo feeing
there was no more time now to be loft, inftcad of
obeying the citation, ruflied out of his houfe with a
great rtumber of armed men, and was inftantly joined
by Peruzzi and Barbadori with^ feveral other Citizens
and many difbanded Soldiers that were then in Flo-i
rence, and drew up in the Piazza of St. Pulinare, as
they had before agreed. And though Palla Strozzai
and Giovanni Guicciardini had aflembled a good
many men, they did not think proper to ftir out of
their houfes} upon which^ Rinaldo fcnt to hafteft

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them and upbraid their tardinefs. But Guicciardini
fent him word back again, that ^ thought he fliould
do his party better lervice by ftaying at home and
preventing his brother Pietro from going to the re-
lief of the Signiory : and Strozzi after many preffing
meflages, at lafl came to St. Pulinare on horfeback ^
. but with only two atteddams on foot, and all three
vrithout any arms. When Rinaldo faw him come in
that manner, he could not help reproaching him bit-
terly with his backward nefs to join his friends ; as he
faid, *' it muft be owing either to perfidy or cowar-
dice, the very appearance of both which ought to be
inoft carefully avoided 'by fuch a man as he pretended
to be. That if he thought to efcape death or exile^
in cafe their enemies Ihould get the upper hand of
them, by not fulfilling his engagement with his party,
he would find himfelf fatally difappointed. That for
his own part, let what would happen, he fhould at
leaft have tfys confolation, that he had done his duty,
. Hot only in warning them of the danger before hand,
but in prefcribing remedies to prevent it, and laftly,
by behaving himielf like a man when ic did come :
that, on the contrary, he and his trufty companions
muft furely refleft with horror, that they had be-
trayed their country three different times: firft in
letting Cofimo efcape ; next, in not liftening to his
advice ; and now, in not fupporting him in the man-
ner they had promifed.*' To this Strozzi muttered
fomething by way of anfwer, but in fuch a manner
that it was not underftood by the reft ; and turning
his horfe about, he rode direftly back again to his
own houfe.

The Signiory being informed that Rinaldo and his
party had taken arms,^nd feeing themfelves unable
jto make head againft tnem, cauied the doors of the
Palace to be barricadoed, as they knew not what
other courfe to take in fo fudden an emergency. But
as Rinaldo ftaid waiting to be joined by others who
never came near him, inftead of advancing immc-
diatdy to the Faiacc, as be ought to have done,, he loft
"^ hb

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bis opportunity, and gave the Signiory time to pro-
vide for their defence. . Upon which, many of thè
Citizens reforted to them, and advifed them in the
firft place to ufe their endeavours to prevail upon the
other party to lay down their arms. They fent fuch
of their friends therefore, as were Icaft obnoxious, to
acquaint Rinaldo and thofe that were with him, " that
they could not conceive what was the caufe of fuch a
commotion ; efpecially, as they had never defigned
to do them any injury : that if it was upon Cofinao's
account, they could affure them they had no thoughts
of recalling him 5 for which they would give them
any fccurity, if they would come into the Palacej
where they fliould be honourably received,»^ and have
fatisfaftion in all other refpcfts.'* Thefe promifeSj
however, made but little imprefConon Rinaldo, who
faid, be would take care to fecure himfelf by turning
them all out of their offices, and then the State
ihould be reformed in a manner that would be more
for the advantage of every one. But if fcldom hap-
' pens that any defignfucceeds, where the authority of
the concludors is equal, and their opinions different*
Ridolpho Peruzzi repUed, *' that for his part, he de*
fired nothing more than that Cofìmo might not be
buffered to return : and fincc that had been promifed,
he was very well contented, and inflead of inlifting
upon any thing further, which might involve the city
in blood and confufioh, he would accept of the in-
vitation which the Signiory had given him ;** as he
immediately did, and went with all thofe that had
followed him, direftly into the Palace, where he was
joyfully received* So that all hope of fuccefs "being
defeated by the delays of Rinaldo at St. Pulinare, the
pufillanrmity of Strozzi, and the defcrtion of Peruzzi,
the reft of the party began^ko lofe their fpirits and
grew much cooler in the undertaking than they had
bc;en at firft : to which the interpofition of the
Pope's authority did likcwifc very much contri-
bute. _

lb

Eug^-

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B6bk IV. O F F L O R E N C E, ^9

Eugenius IV. having been* driven out of Rome by
the people, was then at Florence ^ 5 and feeing thcfe
tumults, he thought ic his duty to compofe them, if
poflible. For this purpofe, he fent Giovanni Vkel-
Icfchi, the Patriarch of Alexandria, who was ihti*
mately acquainted with Rinaldo, to defire he might
fpeak with him, as he hoped he had credit and au-
thority enough with the Signiory to procure him all
reafonable fccurity and fatisfaftion, without cffufion
of blood, or prejudice to any of the Citizens. Upon
which Rinaldo, at the perfuafion of his friend, went
with all his followers to wait upon his Holincfs at St*
* Maria Novella, where he at that time refided. After
he was introduced into his prefence, the Pope in-
formed him that the Signiory had given hijm their
word that all differences ihould be left to his arbi-^.

• Philip, pulce of Milan, having rtiadfc an inctirfion into tbe Pope's
territories, the cavalry which he lent thither, were commanded by
l^iccolo Fortebraccio, who had quitted the Pope's fervice in difgiift :
fbr when he detnanded his pay, Eugenius anfwered» « that he ought
to think himfelf amply paid by the booty he had amaiTed in plun-
<lerine feveral towns. E3caf\5eratcd at this anfw^r, he Went into the
Puke s lervice, and being employed by him againft this Pope, be
inade fuch dreadful havock in the places adjacent to Rome, that the
whole Gity was in thè utmofi contlernàtiòn, and tlie Pope himfel£
lor fome time iri doUbt whitlier to retire. The people reforted to
him in crowds, to coniplaih of the lodes they had fuftained : but^ as
lie was then ni an ill fiate of health, and did not kno^' which way to
turit hiiiifelf^, he i-eferred them to the Cardi i\al his NepheW ahd High-
^hamberiain^ an indolent and voluptuous maii, who ufed to ihufRe
off the complaints of the people who had loft their cattle (as Pla-
tina fays in the life of Eugenius) with this anfwer, '* You really fet
too great a value Upon your cattle; the Venetians live much more
genteely without fuch encumbrances '* ** Eos nimiam fpem in pe<-
còribus coUocaflfc : Venetos quideni fine gregibus & jumentis longc
tirbaniorem vitam ducere.'* At which they were (a enraged, that
they cried out, To arms ! Liberty, Liberty ! and not only removed
all the mag^ftrates from their employments, who had be^ii appointed
by Eugenius, but created othchs In their loòm, and feized Upon the
Cardinal his Nephew. The Pogc being reduced to fuch extremities,
put on the habit of a monk, nfj^ went on board a bark, in order to
fly to Cilia, where he arrivedfafe, notwithltanding the volHes of
Hones and arrovtto that ^ere difch^ged at the velTel as it fell down
the river. From Oftia he went to Florence, and refided there fome
time, tìut the Romans did not longenjoy this liberty : for the Pope's
authority was rcltored at Rome in his abfence by John Vitellefchi,
Patriarch of Alexandria, who proceeded with great rev«i>ic againft
the mutìneerSé

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250 THE HISTORY Book iV.

tration, and that every thing fhoold be fettled to his
own fatisfaélion, as foon as he and his party had laid
jiown their arms. Rinaldo therefore, feeing the cold-
nefe of Strozzi and the levity of Peruzzi, and hav-
ing no other refuge left, put himfelf under the pro-
tection of the Pope, whole authority he thought was
fofficienc to fecure and defend him. In conlequence
of this, the Pope ordered Niccolo Barbadori, and
the others that were waiting for him without doors,
to lay down their arms, as Rinaldo would rctnain
with hkn till he had made terms for them with the
Signiory : upon which, they difperfed, and every
man returned to his own houfe.

As foon as the Signiory faw their adverfarfes dif-
armed, they began to treat with them through the
mediation of the Pope, and, at the fame time, fenc
privately into the mountains of Piftoia for a body of
foot foidiers, which, being joined by all thè hoffe
they had in the adjacent territories-, were brought into
Florence by night; and having taken poffeflion of all
the paffes and ftrong places in' the city, they called^
the people together in the Piazza before the Palace,,
and appointed a new Balia, which at their firft meet-
ing recalled Co fa mo, and all the other Citizens thai
had been baniftied with him. On the other hand^-
they not only lent Rinaldo, Peruzzi, Barbadori, anc|
Strozzi into banilhment, but fnch numbers of others^
that moft parts of Italy, aiod fome other countries,
were crowded with them, to the great impoveri{hnic««
of Florence both in regard to its wealth, its inhabit-
aptsV its trade and manufadures.. But the Pope fcc-r
ing that party entirely ruined and diflipatcd, which
had confented to lay down their arms upon his af-^
furances and interceflion, \^s exceedingly enraged f
lamenting with Rinaldo the^rievous misfortune that
had befallen him through his mear^, and in violation
of the moft folemn engagements ; exhorting him how-»
ever, to patience under his fufferings, and to hope
for a fpeedy change in his favmw, from the incon-
ftancy of fortune. Rinaldo made anfwcr in a fcv^

words,

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tìook m OF FLORENCE. 291

Hvords, •* that the little regard his friends had paid
to his advice, and the too great confidence he had
put in his Hplincfs, had been the ruin both of him-
fclf and his party: but that indeed, he ought to con-
demn himfelf rather than any other perfon, for fool-
iflily imagining that a man, who had been driven out
tofhisown Country, fliould have intereft enough to
prQteét another any where elfe. That he was no
ilranger to the.viiciflitudes of fortune^ and as he had
•never been elated with profperity, he Ihould not be
dejeded in adverfity j fince he knew that when it
was her humour, Ihe would favour him again v^ith
her fmiles. But if (he ihould not, it would give
. him no great degree of regret to be banilhed a
city where private men had more authority than the
Laws : for any Country was certainly more defirable,
where a man could enjoy his property .and truft to
his friends, than that where the one was fo eafily
\ taken away, and the other always deferred him, oHt
of fear and mean felf-intereft, in the day of diftrefs.
That all wife and good men thought it more grievous
to be fpe<ftators of the calamities of thejr Country,
•than to hear of them at a diftance ; and more ho-
mourable to be an honeft exile than an abjeft flave.'*
After which, he turned himfelf about, and leaving
-the Pope with great contempt and indignation, he
'went into banifliment -, cfcen bewailing his own cre-
dulity, as well as the bafenefs of his friends, and
- their blindnefs in rejefting his counfels. Cofimo,
on the other hand, having notice that he was at li-
hcrty to come home again, immediately repair-
ed to Florence: and it has feldom happened that
any commander, though returning in triumph from
fome extraordinary V^ory, was received wit-h fuch
jacclamadons and univcrfal joy, as Cofimo was at his
return from -banifliment by his fellow Citizens, who
ran in multitudes to 'meet him, and ialured him -with
one voice, ièe Bevefa5ior of the' Ptople, and ihe Father ^
éf his Country.

-END OF THE FOURTH 3 OOK.

U 2 _ THE

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O P

t

FLORENCE.

É O O K V.

ARGUMENT.

The foldiery of Italy divided into twopariies^ under Count
Francifco Sforza and Niccolo Fortebraccio. The Duke
of Milan promifes bis Daughter in marriage to the
former. Rome is affaulted by Sforza^ and la Marca
d^ Ancona invaded by Fortebraccio. Pope Eugenius IV.
makes an ignominious peace with Sforza^ and being
driven out of Rome by the inhabitants^ flies to Florence.
A war in Romagna betwixt the Duke of AGlan on one
fide ; and the Venetians^ the Florentines^ and the Pope^
on the other j who enter into a league againft the Duke.
Sforza commands the forces of the league j and Piccia
nino tbofe of the Duke. A new government in Flo-
rence. Their fevere proceedings. Alphonfo of Arragon
attempts to make birifelf King of Naples. His fleet is
defeated by the Genoefe^ and he bimfelf taken prifoner
and brought to the Duke of Milan^ The authority of
she Doge in Genoa. Francijfh Spinola having betrayed
that City into the hands of the Duke^ repmts of it^
and is the author of recovering its liberty. Rinaldo
degli AlbizPs fpeech to the Duke, perfuading bim to
make war upon the Florentines^ which he does. His
Genera Piccinino commits terrible ravages in their

terri^

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Book V. O F F L O R E N C; E. 193

territories^ and takes up his quarters at Lucca^ to the
great offence of the Florentines. Count Sforza gives
him battUy defeats his forces^ and lays waft e the Coun-
try of the Lucchefe. fhefpeech of a Citizen of Luc*
ca to animate the inhabitants of that City to defend them*
felves againft the Florentines. Count Sforza Is made
General of the League. The Venetians are jealous of
his proceedings. T%e difputes betwixt them ^bout his
faffing the Po. He leaves their fervice and retires into
"Tufcarry. A quarrel betwixt the Pope and Count
Poppi accommodated by the Florentines, A controverfy
ketwixt the Greek and Roman Churches^ determined at
Florence by the fubmiffion of the former. The Pope de-
ìudedj and his territories invaded by Piccinino^ who
takes all the towns in Romagna from him. Count Sforza
earneftly perfuaded by the Florentines not to defert the
Venetians^ at laft confents to pafs the Po. fieri Cap'-
ponies fpeeeh to the Venetian Senate. Count Sforza
makes an unexpeSled march and relieites Verona^ which
was befieged by the Duke's forces. He attempts to re-
lieve Brefcia alfo. Piccinino defeats and takes mojl of
the Venetian gallies upon the Lake di Garda. One part
pf his army is worfted by Count Sforza^ and hfi him^
felf e f capes in àjì range manner to the other. He fur-
prizes Verona^ which is recovered by the Count. The
Duke of Milan is encouraged by Piccinino and the Flo-
rentine Exiles to invade Tufcany. Jhe Patriarch of
^Alexandrian General of the Pope's forces. His cha-
rafter. He is fufpeiled of endeavouring to betray thfi
Pope : is committed to prifon^ and dies there. Dif-
ferences b'etwimt the Venetians and Count Sforza about
fflieving Brefcia^ adjujled at loft to his fatisfaSion.
&^f Duke of Mt Ian* s forces invade Tufcany^ under the
command of Piccinino^ who plunders the territories of
the Fkrentinesj and takes fever al towns and cajiles from
them. The cowardice of Orlandini. Count Poppi re-
volts from the Florentines. The Duke's army is de-
feated in Lombardy^ find Brefcia relieved by Sferza. A
remarkable battle at At^gbiari^ iff which Piccinii^ is
routed by the forth of the Fhrentinesy in conjunSlion

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»94 THE HI S T O R y > Book Y,

whh tb^fe cf the Pape. Poppi is bejleged and taketù
Count Poppi's addrefs to tbe Florentine Commiffaries^
upon that occajiùn^ Ntri CapponPs anfmer. The
Count is gripped of his dominions for his perfidy.

IN the changes that are incident to all governments,
they often degenerate into anarchy and confufion j
^nd from thence emerge again to good order and re-
gularity. For fince it is ordained by Providence that
there fhould be a continual ebb and flow in the things
of this world ; as fpon as they arrive at their utmoft
perfeftion, and can ^fcend no higher, they muft of
neceffity decline : and on the other hand, when they
h'ave fallen, through any diford^r, to the loweft de-
gree that is pofllbkj and can fink no lower, they be-
gin to rife again. And thus there is a conftant fuc-^
ceflion of profpcrity and adverfity in all human af-
fairs. Virtue is the mother of peace ; peac^ pro-
duces idlencfs ; kllenefs, contention and mifrule ; anci
from thence proceed ruin and confufion. This oc-
cafions reformation and better lavv^ ; good laws make
tnen . virtuous •, and public virtue is always attended
with glory and fuc,cefs. It has therefore been well
rtmarked, that arms are prior to letters, and that iti
xjèw States and governments there always have been
warriors and foldiers, before the rife of Scholars and
Philofophers. But the former being once fccurely
éftablifhed in their dominion by dint of. arms, have
generally eneooraged the ftudy of Letters, as an ho-
ìM)uì*ablé relaxation Jn time of peace, and the moft
likely method to foften the ferocity of men inured to
.V?ar. And It is <:ertain that indolence and effeminacy
Cannot be introduced into any ftate in a more l*pe-
' ^ipus and dangerous difguife. Of which, Cato the
Ccnfor feemed to be fo well apprized, that when he
faW the Roman youth eagerly liftening to the Lec-
tures and philofophical difcourfes of Diogenes and
Carneades, (who w^ne itnt Ambaffadors from, Athens
ta the Senate of Ronnie) and confidcred the prejudice
which the CpmiTion wealth, might receive from fuf-
• : ' fcrin<r

o

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BodkV. OF F t O R E N C ff. ^^5

ftxing its fabjcds to employ themfclves in thofe fpc-
^uiative matters, he procured a law to be p^flfed,
that noPhilofopher fhould be permitted to come into
xhat city. Thefe and other I'uch cauies fomctimes ,
bring States to the brink of rnin : but when they are
at the lowed ebb, and grown wifer by their fall, they
frequently recover their ftrength, as we have already
/aid, by making new laws and inftitutions ; unlefs
they are either totally overwhelmed, or prevented by
fome forcible and extraordinary means.

Such were the Viciffitudes that Italy experienced 5
lirft, under the dominion of the ancient Tufcans 5
^nd then, under that of the Romans ; fometimes
flouriOiing and powerful, and fometimes reduced to
xnifery and diftrefs. And though no fabrick was af-
terwards ereéled upon the ruins of the Romah Ekit
pire, that could in any wife pretend to vie with it in
its ancient fplendor, (which yet might have been ef-
icfted by a brave and wife Prince) there arofe fcch
"pL fpirit, however, in fome of the new States and ci-
ties tlwt were founded upon thofe ruins, that if np
pneof them ufurped a Dominion over all the refi, they
neverthelefs were at firft fó well governed and united
amongft themfelves, that they delivered their country
from the yoke of Barbarians, and defended it for a
while againft any further invafions. A»>ongft thefe
States, the Florentines (notwithftanding^ their terri-
tory was of lefs extent) were not inferior to any other
either in power or authority : on the contrary, as they
•were fituated in the middle of Italy, exceeding opil-
lent, and ready to turn their arms %o any fide, they
net only bravely fupported fuch wars as were waged
. againft themfelves, but generally threw- the viftory
.into the fcale of thofe allies with whom tìiey thought
fitto confederate.' Frojn the warlike difpofitiop pf
,fhefe new States,, it was. not poffiblc indeed thartbey
Jhould long eòntìtìiÌe\^]E;,^eàce tog^'th^r :'^but their
waf;5 were poi; afctf^nded" with nfiuch danger. For as
thofe times cannot properly be called peicea!ble, whth
'they *ftood' ready afitied and watching all opportu-

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2g6 T H E H I S T O R Y Book V

nicies to attack each other ; fo neither does that de*
ferve the name of war, \n wh|ch no ^ìcn were killed,
no towns were facked, nor any State was fubvertecf ;
their enterprizcs being conduced in fo feeble a man-
ner, that they were commenced without fear, carried
on without peril, and ended, for the mod part, with-
out any material lofs oq either fide. From whence
it came to pafs that all martial ardour, which in other
countries is fometimes damped and abated indeed by
a long interval of peace, was at laft utterly extin-
guiflied amonsft the Italians, even in the midft of
wars i by the bafe and fpiritkfs manner in ^hich they
were profccqted ; as will plainly appear in the Courfe
of thofc that happened betwixt the years 1454 and
1494 * >y herein we (hail fee a new inlet opened
to the incurfions of * Barbarians, and Italy once more
become fubjeft to their yoke. And though the ac-
tions of our Princes both at horpe and abroad during
this period, may not fill the reader with fo much ad-
miration of their magnanimity, as the noble exploits
that were performed in ancient times; yet it may
pccafion no lefs wonder, when he fees how many
brave people were bridled and kept in fubjedion by
dint of arms fo weakly and pitifully conduced.
And if in the account of that corrupted age ht
ftiall find neither valour in the foldiers, nor fkill ift
^h<? cpmmanders, -f nor any love of their country

f The Italians arc plcafed to beftow this name, not only upon tl>e
Goths and Vandals^ and fuch other northern nations as are partU
éulaily merftioncd in the beginninff of the firft book of this hittory»
^ut upon aU Tramontanes, or people that live on the other fi^de of the
Alps* The Frci^ch, Spaniards and Germans are here meant.

t Thefe Condottieri or pitiful Qommanders, as Machiavd juftly calls
fhem in the latter end of the firft book of this hiftory, were com-
monly either youpger brothers and foldiers of fortune that had no-
thing ^o truft to but the profefliqn of arms 5 o^ rebels and outlaws òr
traitors, who having colleAcd a parcel of Bapditti in as defperate cir-
cumftances 4s themlelves, ufed to hird' out theis ièrvice, fometimes ta

. one State, and fpmetimes 10 anothei*, (as beft fuited their own in-
tereft) to fight their battles. So that ^hcir mafters were likely to be

. inely ierved ; ^» indeed théyofteii wei*e. For upon any little difn
|^uft»/Or olier oibieber pay, they alWays^leff rted them and. went ova»
^O the^nemy. They had at that t^me, as Machiayel fays, rcducc4

'"' , ■■■"■■ '■ ■ ■■■ ■■ ."■ ■■' ^ ■' ■ ■■ ' Y%.

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Book V. O F F L G R E N G E. ap/

kfc in the Citizens, he may obferve howcycr, what
lictk fhifcs and tricks, and low artifices, both the
Princes and Commanders and governors of Common-
iivealths then made ufe of to maintain 2l reputatiqn
which they did not deferve. And this, perhaps, may-
be of equal utility with reading ancient hiftory : for
as the great examples that occur in one will naturally
infpire generous miiids with a defirc to iniitatc them ;
fo the other may ferve to excite their abhorrence and
difdain.

Italy therefore was reduced to fuch a condition by
thofe who governed it, that a Peace was no fooncr
agreed toby the contending Princes, but it was pre-
fently diftufbed again by the foldiers who ftill con-
tinued in arms : fo that they neither gained any glory
by their wars, nor tranquillity by a peace. Accord-
ingly, after a peace was concluded betwixt the Duke
of Milan and the League in the year J433, the fol-
diery being difcohtented at it, refolved to turn their
arms againfl the Church. They were ^t that time di-
vided into two parties, the Briccefcan and the Sfpr-

tbetr manner of making war to a fort of a trade or fyftcm ; and thofe
that employed them were fmc tabe lofers in the end, even if they'
were vjfhsrious : whilft their Condottieri always took care to fecure
ionie part at leaft of the bone in dilpute for their own Hiare, either
by making themfelves arbitrators, or threatening upon one fnvolous
excnfe pr other, to eo over to the enemy and leave their mailer^ dif-
krmed. Thefe hirelings generally gave themfelves terrible names to
infpire the enemy with fear, one calling himfelf Havock, another
liamfl'ringcry and a third Fortebraccio or Strong- Arm, which laft hat
been adopted amongft the French under the name of Fierbras, and
by the Enelifti under that of Armftrong. They made but little ac-
coimt of Infantry in thofe times, and Teldoiu ufed an^ artillery in
their field engagements. They were afraid of lodng their men.* For
which reafon they endeavoured to bear down the enemy by the weight
of their gens d* armes or heavv armed horfe, and did not often come
to blows. Thofe that were driven out of the field were faid to be
Yanqui(hcd. T^^ere was more bipod (hcd in private quarrels and
confpiracies than in battles. For as their horfemen were all covered
with armour» it fometii^ies happened that not fo much as one man
was killed on either fide, and fometimes not aboye two or three at
the moft, in an, engagement that lafted feveral hours; and thofe too
by being thrown from their horfes and trampled to death* This
ft range account of the military prowefs of that age, is however very
ftr from fupporting what the Hiftorian juft before mtimates reipefting
^he power^ authority^ and fpirit of the Florentines.

* ^ cefcan;

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byUoogle

0^8 THE HiS;TC>RY^ .^odk V,

ccfcaa: Count Francifco Sforza being Head pf the
one, Niccolo Piccinino and Niccolo Forte braccio tbe
Chiefs of the othen To thefe two parties all the
reft of the foldiers in Italy then joined themfelvcs.
But the Sforcefcan was in the greater credit, both
on account of Francifco*& valour, and the promife
tliat the Duke of Milan had made" of giving him his
natural daughter Madonna Bianca in marriage-, the
,profpe(5t of which alliance gained him very great re^
putation. Both the parties, however, when they faw^
a peace concluded in Lombardy, immediately fell
upon Pope Éugenius, though for different reafons.
Forte braccio did it in confcquence of the ancienc
enmity that Braccio da Montone had ever profeffecj
againft the Popes -, but the Count out of ambitioii
alone. The former therefore bent his forces imme-
diately againft Rome; an4 the latter polTeffed him-
felf of la Marca d' Ancona : fo that the Romans in
order to avoid a war, were obliged to force Eugenius
out of the city, who made his cfcape from the enemy
with much difficulty and fled to Florence. Upon
his arrival there, feeing the danger he was in, and
that none of thofe States which had lately been fp for-
ward to lay down tlieir arms, now cared to take
'them up again merely to fupport his caufe, became
to an agreement with the Count and ceded the ter-
ritory of la Marca to him ; though the Count had
not only feized upon it before without any manner of
claim, but treated him with the utmoft infolcnce.
For in the letters which he wrote to his correfpon-
dents, he dated them in Latin (according to thecufton^
of the Italians ^ Ex Girifalco ncjìro Firmiano^ itrjito
Petro &? Panic \ « From Girifalco near Fermo, where
I refide at prefent in fpite of St. Peter and St. PauL*
He was not content with this ceffion however, but
infiftcd upon being created f Gonfalonier of the

* Girifalco or GirfaUo in the Italian fignifies a fort of a Hawk called
aGerfàJcón : but here I fuppoTe it is the name of a place.

f .TÌ.e Gonfalonier or Standard-bejurerof the Church .was an officer
created by the Popes to condudt their forccis and prote£l tbem agaiaiL
lIieEmpèror» after they had u%ped his authoriyr at Rome, . * ^^

: ...; Church,

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Book V. O F F L O R E N C E. «99

Church, which, was likcwife granted 5 as the Pope, it
feems, prefcrcd an ignominious peace to a dangerout
ware Upon thefe compliances, the Count took pait
with his Holinefs and made war upon Fortebraccio
with various fuccefs, for tne fpace of feveral momhs,
in the territories of the Church ; but always witk
much prejudice to the Pope and his fubjccls (which
fide foever prevailed) and advantage to thofe thatcon»-
dufted the war. At laft, by the mediation of the
Duke of Milan, a fort of truce was agreed to bc^
twixt thofe two Chiefs ; by which they both became
matters of feveral towns that belonged to the Church.
This war was hardly extinguilhed at Rome, vvhcft
another was kindled in Romagna by Battifta Canneto^
who having killed fome of the family of the Grifofii
at Bologna, had driven the Pope's Governor, and
fome others whom he fufpefted to be his enemies, out
pf that city. And in order to keep forcible ppffeC-
fion of it, he appjied for aid to Duke Philip; whilft
.the Pope, on the other hand, follicited the affiftancc
pf the Venetians and Florentines to enable him to re-
cover it: and each party being furnilhed with fup-
plies, two powerful armies foon appeared in Romag-
na; the Duke's forces being commanded by Niccolo
Piccinino, and thofe of the Venetians and Florentines
by Gattamelata and Niccolo da Tolentino. Not far
from Imola they came to an engagement, in which
the Venetians and Florentines were defeated ; and
Niccolo da Tolentino being taken prifoner, was fent
to the Duke at Milan, where he died in a few days
after his arrival, either by poifon, or out of morti-
fication at his difgrace. The Duke however, not
purfuing his advantage, either bccaufe his finances
; were too much exhaufted by the late Wars, or that
he thought the league wotild remain quiet after fuch
an overthrow, gave the Pope and his confederates
time to recover their fpirits in fuch a manner, that
they appointed Count Sforza their General, in order
to drive Fortebraccio out of the territories of the
Church if poffiblc, and put an end to a war, whifch

had

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500 T H E H I S TO R Y Book V.

had been Gommenccd in favour of hi» Holinefs. Tha
Romans therefore feeing the Po{>e once more in the
field with frcfh recruits, endeavoured to make their
peace with him ; which being efiefted, they fubmktejt
to receive a commiflary whom he fent to Rome.
Amongft other places which Forcebraccio had feized
«pon^ were Tivoli, Montefìafconi, and the cicies of
Caftello and Afcefi ; into the latter of which he had
retired when he found he was nò longer able to keep^
the field. But being befieged there by the Count
for a long time, for he made a brave defence, the
Duke began to perceive that it behoved him either
to prevent. the Allies from making themfelves maf-
ters of that place, or to provide for his own fecu^.
rity, in cafe it fhould fall into their hands. To make
fuch a-diverfion therefore as might oblige the Count
to raife the fiege, he ordered Piccinino to force his
«ray, if he could, through Romagna into Tufcany :
and the Allies judging it more neceffary to defend
Tufcany, than to reduce Afcefi, fent inftruftions to
the Count to oppofe his pafl'age through that pro-
irince, though he had then advanced with his army
as far as Furli. The Count, on the other hand, havi^
ing raifed the fiege, marched with his forces direftly
to Cefcna, leaving the management of the war in la
Marca, and the defence of his poffefllons to the care
of his Brother Lione, But whilft Piccinino was thus
endeavouring to force a paffage into Tufcany, and
the Count to prevent it, Fortebraccio boldly attacked
Lione, and not only took him prifoner but difperfed
his army^ and, purfujng his viftory with the, fame
rapidity, tctok and pluhdi^rcd feveral towqs in la
Marca: at which the Count was not a little cha-
grined, as he thought he fhould pp\y Iole all he had
do lately acquired. Upon which account, he left part
of his army to hold Piccinino at bay, and advance4
with the reft a^ainft Fortebraccio, whom he brogghit
to an engagement ; in which the latter being routc^
and taken prifoner, died not long after of the woupds
he had received in the battle. By thi^ Viótory the

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igòok V. OF F L O R È ì^ CE. jci

Pope regained all the territories that Fortebraccio
had taken frorti him,^ and forced the Duke of Milan
to fuc for a peace^ which was at laft concluded by
the meditation of Niccolo d* Efti Marquis of Fer-
rara : and it was agreed that all the towns that had
been feized upon by the Duke in Romagna, flioold
be rcftorcd to t.he Church, and his forces withdrawn
into Lombardy. Thefe conditions being complied
with, Battifta da Canneto, not being able to maintain
htrnfclf in poffcffion of Bologna by his own ftrength
(as it generally happens to thofe that depend upon
the power of others to fupport them in their ufur-
pations) was forced to fly from thence and leave the
city open tp Antonio Bentivogli, the former Govcr*
nor, who immediately returned thither.

Thefe things happened during the exrie of Cofimo
de* Medici ; at whofc return, thofe Citizens that had
been his chief friends, and fome others who had
been injured andoppreffcd by the late AdminiftratioD,
were determined, at all events, to take the gorern-
ment of the State into their own hands. The Sig*
niory therefore, that was» drawn for the two enfuing
.months of November and December, not content
v^ith what their* predcceflbrs had already done in fa-
vour of their party, prolonged the term, and changed
the refidencc of fcveral that had been banifhcd, and
fent numbers of others into exile. And this was
done, not only out of party rage, but likewife on ac-
count of their riches, alliances, and private con-
nexions : fo that this profcription, except in the ar*
tide of blood fhed, might in fome mea^fure be com-
pared to that under Sylla and Odavius. There were,
-however, fome executions; for Antonio the fon of
Bernardo Guadagni, was beheaded : and four other
Citizens, amongft whom were Zanobi Belfratclli and
Cofimo Barbadori, having left the place to which
they had been banifhcd, and gone to refide at Venice,
were fecured by the Venetians as fetting a greater
value upon Cofimo's friendfhip than their own re-
putation, and fent prifoncrs to Florence, where they

were

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|oi THE tÉl^tO:RY Book Vi

were put to death in an ignominious nrianrier. . The(5
examples greatly, increafcd the flrcngth of Coffmo's
party^ and ftruck a terror into that of his cnenniesi
wJicn they faw fuch a powerful Republic as Venice
fo meanly proftitute its honour to the Florentines:
though fomc thought this was npt done fo much to
oblige Cofimo, as to revive the fpirit of faétion, and
create more dangerous divifions in Florence by fucH
executions; as the Venetians plainly faw, that peace
and union in that city, was the. only obliarle to their
further aggrandizement. When they had thus pretty
veil cleared the City of their enemies, and fuch as
they thought -difaffefted to their government, they
began to ftrengthen their hands, by careffing and
heaping favours upon others. For this purpofe, they
«called the family of the Alberti, ^and all the reft of
the Exiles that bad been formerly banifhed : they re-
duced the Grandees (except fome very few) to the
yank of Commoners : and divided the pofleffions of
tlrofe whom they had banifhed, amongft thcmfelves.
After this, they fortified themfelves with new laws
and ordinances, and made a frefh Imborfation, tak-
ing the namesof all fufpcfted perfons out of the purfes^
-and filling them up again with thcffe of their own
friends. But remembering the fupinenefs and negleft
that had been fo fatal to the late adminifl ration, and
confiderihg that even fuch an Imborfation as they had
already made, might not be fufficient to eftablifti
them firmly in the government, they likewife took
care, that fuch magiftcates as had the power of life
and death entrufted to them, Ihould always be chofen
out of the moft eminent of their party -, for which
purpofe, they ordained that the Syndics who ìnfpeéVed
the Imborfations, in conjundion with the old Sig-
niory, Ihould have the power of appointing a new
one» They left the cognizance of capital offences^
to the eight Wardens, and enadted, that no Exile
ihould , return, even after the term of his banilhment
was expired, till he had obtained the. confent of the
Signiory,N and thirty -four of the Colleges, though the

whole

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Éook V. O F F L O H È N e ^V ^}

-whole number of them 'amounted to no more than
thirty-fevcm Ali perfons were prohibited to write to^
or receive any letters from them ; every word,' or
fign, or gefture, that difpleafed the governors, wa» •
puniftied with the utmoft legerity : and if there wat
any fufpetìed pcrfon left in Florence, whb -had not
fallen under their lafh for fuch offences, they took
care, however, to load him feverely with new taxes.
and impofitions : fo that one part of their adverfarics
being driven out of the Gity, and the other deprcffed
and ovér>awed by thcfe means, they in a fhort time
fecured the government to themfelves. And to fup-
port their powe'r with foreign aid, and deprive thcar
enemies of all affiftance, if they fhould offer to
dift4irb tbem, they entered into a defenfive league
with the Pope, the Venetians, . and the Duke oi
Milan. '

Whilft things were in this fituation at ^Florence,
Giovanna Queen of Naples and Sicily died^ and by
her laft will, declared Regnier, ©uke of Aiyoq, her
focceffor. Alphonfo, King-of Arragon, virasr.at that
time inSioily, and had fuch an intcreft with the No.^
bility there, that he was taking meafurcs to make
himftJf fovereign of that IQand. The Neapolitans in
general, and many of the Nobles in particular, ad-
hered to Regnier: the Pope, on the other hand, was
not willing that either Regnier or Alphonfo fhould
. become mafter of it, as he wanted to get pofTeffion
of it himfelf and to govei^n it by a Lieutenant, But
Alphonfo making a fudden defcent upon the coaft of
Naples, was received there by the Duke of Seffa,
and took the forces of feveral other Princes into his
pay ; with a defign (as Capua was already in his pof^
leilion, and governed by the Prince of Taranto, in
his name) to compel the Neapolitans to fubmit to
him : for which purpofe, he ordered his fleet to make
an attack upon Gaieta, which was then in their hands-
Upon this, the Neapolitans fent to defirc the af-
fi^ance of Duke Philip : but he recommended tbem *
to the ppoteólion of the Gcnoefe, who, (in fubmiffion
7 to

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3C4 THE HISTORY BGbk V;

to the commands of the Duke their fovereign, and
in hopes of fecuring the great quantify of merchan-
dize which they had lodged at that time in Naples
and Gaieta) Immediately fitted out à powerful fqua«
dron for their relief. Alphonfo hearing of this ar-
mament, thought proper to reinforce his own, and
went to Sea with it in perfon, with a refòlmion to
fight the Genoefe; and the two fleets happening ta
meet near the Ifle of Ponzio, came to an engage-
ment, in which the Arragonefe were not only defeat-
ed, but Alphonfo himfelf, and many other Printed
that attended him, were taken, and fent Prifoners by*
the Genoefe to the Duke. This viflory ftruck a pa-
nick into the Princes of Italy (who before were un-
der great apprehenfions of the Duke's power) as they
thought he had now a very fair opportunity of ma-
king himfelf abfolute fovereign over them all. But^
contrary to the expeftation of every one, hfe took a
very different refolution.

Alphonfo was a Prince of great wifdom 4od adr
drefs, and as foon as he had an opportunity of a pri-
vate converfation with Duke Philip, he reprefented
to him, *' how little he confulted his own intereft, in
fupporting his competitor Regnier : for if Regniet
fliould become King of Naples, he would certainly
endeavour (he faid) to make the Duchy of Milan ^
Province to the King of France ; that fo he might
have a fpeedy recpurfe to him, and a door ready
opened for fuccours upon any emergency ; which
could not be effefted without introducing the French
into that Duchy, to the utter deftrufbion of it. That-
for his own part, he thought the cafe would be very
different^ if he himfelf Ihould fucceed to the crown
of Naples and Sicily : for as he fhould not be afraid
of any enemy but the French, he muft of neeeffity be
obliged to court and carefs, and fbew the mod pro-
found obedience to thofe who only had it in their
power to fuffer his enemies to invade him. That the
name and title of King of Naples would then, indeed
devolve to Alphonfo, but the power and authority to'

Pfeiiip

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feòok V: O F F L O R E N e É. 305

Philip Duke of Milan; So that it behov«J the Duke
much more than himfclf, to confider the danger of
proceeding in that manner, and the advantages that
might rcfult from a contrary refolution ; unlefs he
chofe rather to give way to his paffions than to fecure
his State. For in one cafe he would continue free-
and independant ; but in the^other, (as his dominions
lay betwixt two powerful Princes) he muft either en-
tirely lofe his Duchy, or live in perpetual apprehen-
fion and flavilh fubjeftion to them both." Thefe re-
monftrances made fuch an impreflion upon the Duke>
. Ihat he changed his refolution, and not only fet Al-
phonfo at liberty, but fent him in an honourable
manner to Genoa, and afterwards to Naples 5 from
whence he went to Gaietaj which city had been feized»
«pon by fome Lords of his party> as foon as they
heard that he was releafed. But the Genoefe feeing
the Duke had thus fet him at liberty, without any
regard to thcrti, and not only reaped all the glory of
a war, which had been carried, on folely at their rifque
and expence, but had the merit of rcleafing him, and
left them to his rcfentment for having defeated and
token him prifoncr, were exceedingly enraged at it.

In the city of Genoa, when it has the full enjoy-
ment of its liberty, a chief Magiftrate is chofen by
tte free fuffragcs of the people, whom they call the
poge ; not invefted with the powcf of an abfolutc
Prince, nor to determine upon any thing himfelf, bue
only to propofe fuch matters as are to be debated and
confiderèd in council. The Nobility, however, were
fo powerful in this city, that they ftood in very little
awe of the Magiftrates : and amongft them, the two
families of Fregolo and Adorna, were at that time
the moft eminent. From hence it came to pafs,, that
there were frequent divifions, and but little civil or-
der obfefved amongft them ; and as their contcfts for
power were oftner decided by arms than the laws,
fometTmes one party was deprefled, and fometimes
the other. Sometimes it happened, that thofe who
had been excluded from a fharc in the government,
.Vol. I. . X calkd

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^oS TH& HISTORY. Book VV

called ifl foreign Princes to their affiftaucc, and facm
ficed the Stale tp ftr angers, when they could ùoi ufurpr
k thepifelves. From henc?^ h liJkewiic generally hap^*
pened, that thofc who wer^ . m^ers of Lombardy,;
had alfo che command of Genoa ; as Dwkt PhSip had
ac the tHBC when Alphonfo of Arragon was taken
prifoncr. One of t^ Nobles that were the chief in-
ftruments m fubje^ftiog t^at city to the Duke of Mi-
lan, was Francifco Spinola ; who, not long after he
bad bjeen the caafc of enlkving his country, became
fufpefted (as it often happens in fach cafes) and very;
odious to Philip *. Upon which, he was fo difg\ift-
ed, that he retired to Gakta, as a voluntary exiie»
where he was when the engagement happened betwixt
Alphonfo's fleet and that qf the Genocfc ; and bav-
ing behaved with great bravery in their fervicc upon
that occafion, he thought he had fo far regained the
Duke's favour by it, tiiat he Ihould at leaft be fuffered
to live quietly at Geno^, as a reward for bis mtriu
But perceiving that the Puke ftill looked upon hiny
with a fufpicious ^ye^ and fecmed to think that a manr
who had betrayed hi$ country, could never be faith-
ful to any one elfe, he refolved to make an aitempc
to reftore Genoa to its. former liberty, and to retrieve
bis own reputation, that fo he might hereafter live ia
fccurity at home ;. as he found there was no other
way left tp make bis peace with his Fellow-citÌ2cnsy
but by healing the wound which he himfelf had give»
them. Seeing therefpre, the ueivcrfal indignatio»
which the releafe of Alphonlb . had excited agaisA
the Dukc^ he thought it a, very opportune conjunc*^
ture to proceed to the execution of his defigtis. For
which purpofe, he communicaced the matter to fomc

* k feldom happens that they who raife either a ufurper or a lanfw
fui Prince to the throne, enjoy his favour Jong, This, however, ir
ftot always owing to the maxim, " that msn love treafon but hate
traitors 5*' nor becaufe men imagine, that they who laboured to de«
throne their iirft malter^ will net fcru pie to dethrone their fttw fo^
TcVeign. It is chiefly becaufe thefe men think they are never rc-
varòed as they deierve 5 and that a Prince who owes his crown t^
them, ought to gra^it them,wliatever they xequeft o£ hiaw ^^

■ «Ì

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fiook V. OP t? L O ft E N CU. 5^\

of his friends, who, he knew" were cqUftlly impatierft
to regain their liberty^ and carncftly exhorted thent
TO ^ffift him in the attempt. Accordingly, on the
Feftival of St. John the Baptift, aSfoon a& ArifmitK)^,
their new Governor for the Duke, had -made his erf*-
try into the city, attended by Opicino the former
Covcfiior, and many of the Citteens, Spinola witteaùt
further delay, fuflied out of his houfc with his co»- ^
federates ready armed, and havif^ drawn i^hehi up in
the ftreet before his door, cried out. Liberty, Liberty.
■At this found, the people ran together with fudh ea^-
gernefs, that thofc who adhered to the^Duke^ cithei*
out of felf-intereft or fome other motive, were not
otìly unprepared to make any reflftan'ce, but hardly
had time to run away. Arifmino and fome of the
Citiaens-that were of his party, retired into the c^
tadel, which was garrifoned by the DofceV foldi^ri
But Opicino endeavouring to gettò the P^kee^ where
be thought he.ftiould be able to fecùre^Wmfelf, arid
-unimate his friends to make avigort>ai dtf^nce (^
there were two thoufand-foldiers in it uhdtr'Kis com-
mand) was flain before he could reach it, and torn
limb from limb by the populace, after they had
dragged his body through every ftreet in the city.
The citadel and other forts that' ^ere in the Duke's
poflefTio^, likcwife furrendering in a few days, the
Genoefe in this manner recovered their liberty and en-
tirely (hook off his yoke.

The Princes of Italy, Who fometime before had
been under great apprehenfions that the Duke would
■grow too powerful for- them all, began to hope they
Ihould be able to make a ftafid againft him wheh
they faw things take this turn^ and the Florentine^
and Venetians, notwithftaiiding the league they had
fo lately made with him, now entered into a con*-
federacy with the Genoefe. Rinaldo degli Albizi
therefore, and feveral others of the greateft diftimr-
^ tion aniongft the Florentine Exiles, teeing the face
of affairs fo changed, and further difturbances likely
to'tnfpe, did not defpai'r of prevailing y/ith the Duke

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30« THE HISTORY Book V.

to come to an open rupture with the Florentines %
and for that purpofe, they went to wait upon him ac
Milan, where Rinaldo addrefled him in the fol«
lowing manner: ** Neither your Highncfs, nor any
other peribn, who confiders the coufe of human af-
fairs and the mutability of fortune, will think ie
ftrangc that we, who formerly have been your enci^
mies, Ihould now have the confidence to foUicit your
.afliftance to reflore us to our Country ; efpecially as
we truft we can give a fatisfadpry account of our paft
adioBs to yourfelf, and prefent conduct to our fellow-
citizens. No reafonable man will ever reproach an^
other with defending bis Country, by any means
whatfoever ; and in Ho doing, it never was our d«^
fire or ifttentioi> to do you the lead injury, but merely
to fecure ourfclvesw For the truth of this, we ap-
peal to yourfelf ; as you muft very well remember^
chat in our higheft career of victory and fuccefs,
whenever we found you fincerely difpofcd to peace,
we have promoted it with ftiU greater ardour thao
you did : fo that we cannot accufe ourfelvcs of ever '
having done any thing that might give us reafon to
doubt of your Highnefs's favour and prote&ion ^ nor
can our Country with juftice complain of us, for
now inciting you to take up thofe arms againfl ir^
which we have often lb vigorouHy exerted in ks der
fence. For that State alone can duly clainv the xt^
verence and love of its fubjeéls, which ec^u^Uy be-
ftows its favours upon them all v and not that, which
fmiles only upon fome few minions, and frowns^ upon
all the reft. Nobody, furely, will affirm, that it is
unlawful in* all cafes to bear arms againft one's Coun-
try : for every State, being of a comppund nature,
in fome meafure rcfcmbles the human body^ andat-
one is fubjeft to feveral difeafes, which cannot ef.
feótually be cured without cauftks and amputation \
io^ indie other,, many diforders and inconveniencier
arife, which if a good and dutiful Citizen did nof en-
deavour to remedy, even by the fword, if ncceffaryy
h^ would become highly culpable. "What- great^

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Book V. O F F L O R E N C E. jJJ^*

iTììfery then can there be in any Republic, than fljl-
very ? W4iat remedy mor^ expedient than that which
will certainly put an end to it ? Thofe wars are al-
ways efteemed juft that, are ficjccffary ; and «it is but
charity to our Country to take up arms, whea ijhefc
is no other hope of redrefe for t^ie injuries it fuftains.
For my own part, I know not what oecefljty can be
more preffing than ours, nor any fcigher degree of
charity, than to refcue our Country out of the jaws
of flavery. Without doubt, we have a moft juft
caufe, and very well worthy of being maturely ton-
fidercd and attended to' by your Highnefe, as w«ll as
ourfelves; and you, likewife, will be fully juftified
|n making war upon the Florentines, by their fliame-
Jefs behaviour in confederating with your rebellious
fubjefts the Genoefc, in open violation of the folemn
engagements into which they have fo lately entered
with your Highnefs. But if our fufFerings are not
fufficiently grievous to niove pity, certainly the in-
dignities that have been offered to yourfclf fliould
excite your refentment, and prompt you to take a juft
revenge; cfpecially, fmce it is fo eafy to be effefted.
Let not the remembrance of paft times difcourage
you, in which you have feen them defend themfelves
rwith fo much vigour and obftinacy : though indeed,
\i their courage was now equal to what it was for-
inerly, it would be much to be dreaded. But the
cafe is far otherwife at prefent-, for what ftrength
can you expe6tin a city that has expelled the richeft
and moft induftrious of its inhabitants ? What rcfo-
lution in a people diftraéled with frelh broils and
quarrels anioftgtt themfelves, which wilt naturally pre-
vent the Uttle money they have left from being ap-
plied as it ufed to be ì For men chearfully open their
purfes, when they fee it is for the reputation and fc-
curity of their Country, in hopc^ of regaining thi^t
by an honourable peace, which they have expended
in fupporting a neceffary war: but with great re--
lu&ance, when they 6nd themfelves equally oppreSed»
t>oth in war and peace, and arc plundered by the but-
' 5C 3 rag?»

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^^ T HE ' H I S T O R.Y Book V,

.l^lgesof an enemy in- one, and the rapacity of their
rOoyernors in the other. It is certain, that the siva-
. rice of^ Governors is of much greater prejudice taaoy
3Stat4,3?han the depredations of itsenemies: as the
^jtter„$it may be hoped, will ccafc in time; but of
.|he former thei'e fekjom is any e>>d. You formerly
^a<gcd'War againft, tt>e whole Republic; but now
,^swoft a very inconfiderable rempant of it : you thai
;>)ad great niimber%:;Qf good and worthy Citizens to
rpppofe-yoq -, but at prefcnj: very few, and thofe bad
4»fc : you/C^me at tl%t time to deprive our City, of
ks; lib^ties, bue no>« to reflore them : and furely,
;ffom fuch a contrariety of circumft^uces^ you.may
.well hope for a very different event ; nay, you may
ificrtainly depend upon fuc<;cfs, We leave your High-
f^k to judge of the advantage you will reap from it,
in ftrengthening your hands by a ftrid alliance with
i^be Tufcans^ whom you will firmly attach to your
intereft, by the merit of fo great a deliverance ; an
:^lliance from which you may AVail yburfdf of mote
.^ffecludl fupplies in any future undertaking, than
even from •^ Milan itfelf: and though fuch an enter-
prize, at another time, might have been imputed do
;injuftice or ambition, it will now be regarded as equit-
able and compa0ionate.xPcr.mit ua^ therefore, to
exhoj-t yourtìighriefe, not to let fa fair an opporhi-
nky flip away, btìt to confidei», that although your
former att^npts againft that State were attended with
rgre^t difficuhy^ exp^nee, amj^ diftiQlnour, you may
.eafily f^cceed in thi^ aód gain infinite reputation and
;ftdv4fìtage." r ^

. -The Duke did not require much foUicitatbn to
.ifKluQe him to m^ke war upon the Florentine&, as he
-entertained an hereditary hatred to them, and was
-pro^npted to it by rfie blindnefs of his ambition, which
^ge^verned hirp in aJl hi« aftions : befides, he was not ^
* little provoked ac^hjéir confederacy with the Gertoefe.
. But when he coofidered the vaft cxpences he had
be^n at, the rifque be had run> the loffcs' he had iy
li^tcly fuftainedj and the vain and iH-grounded hopes

^ : - or

V

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«eok V. OF F L Ó R'fe N G E; jrf

«f the exiles, his ardour v/as'famethingahat#d. How-
«ver, as (óon ^ he heard of the revolt of Genoa, he
ordered Niccolo Piccinino to adi/ìkvca -towards that
City with all his Cavaky, and what infantry he eowM
taife in his own territories, to try if it was poflTible to
t^cover it, before the Citi«cns.had eftablifhed any new
government, and made neccffary provifioiis for their
rfefcnce; as he depended much upon the llrength of
the Citadel, w4àich he thought was ftill noaintaioed by
■his garrilbn. And though Piccimno i>ot ofily drove
ibmè of the Geiioefe up into the mountains, but took
che Vale of Ponzeveri from them, where <hey ha4
Certified themfelves^ and forced ihem into that town,
3rcc' they defended it fò ol^inately, that he couW
tnafce no further progrefs, and Was obliged to draw
bff again with Ws forces* Upon which, %h& Duk^
M the inftigaftion of the FIoreAtSrte Exiles, font bim
tnftruftions to rtake ^ itìcurfion towànis ihd Sei^
;Coaft near Leghorn^ and harWfs tìrè confines of Pifa,
as much as poffible; inhagining he Ibould be bettdr
jàble to judge from the fuccefs of thefe CKpeditioni,
avhat courfe it would be moft proper to rakó next.
In consequence of this, Piccinino made an aflauk
jupon Screzana and took it ; and -after he - had com-
j|7>itted great ravages thereaboutf^ in order to alarm
«he Florentines ftiU more, he proceeded towards
|.Ait€a, giviiig <kit that he wouW march into the
Kingdom of Napl<?s to the affiftante of the King of

^' Airagon. In the begrnning of thefe ftew commotions
Pope Eugenius left Florence and wfenc t<> Bologna,

• i/l^hcre he endeavoijred to bring aboiH an accommo-
-dation betwixt the League and the Duk^, to whoto
he caufed it to be fignificd, that if he did not confenc
io it, he ftiould be obliged to give Count Francifco
Sforza leave to go into their fervice, who was then
his General and Ally. And though his Holinefs took
great pains in the mgitter, it was to no purpofe: for
the Duke would not liften to any agreenf^ent, except
Genoa was reftoi^d to him ; and the League infilled

, that it ftoiiW Gominue in the enjoyment of its liber-

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^tz THE H I S T Q R ^ goolf V^

tks : fo th^t all hopes of peace being at an end»
both fides prepared for war. Upon the arrival of
Piccinino at Lucca, th^ Florentines beginning to be
apprehenfive of new difturbances from that quarter»
ordered Neri di Gino to march diredly with theii:
forces tQ coyer the Country about Pila, wh^re he
was joined by Count Sforza, according to the Pope's
directions, and both of them took poft at Santa
Gonda. On the other hand. Piccinino, who lay at
Lucca, fent to demand a paffage through that Coun*
try into t;he Kingdom of Naples ; which being rc-
fufed, he threatened to Éprce one.

Th^ ftrength of the two armies, and the abilities
of the Commanders were nearly the fame : fo that
neither fide being very defirous to come to an en*
gagemcnt, efpecially in the depth of winter, (as it
wa^ then December) they lay many days in their
quarters, without proceeding to further hoftilities;
The firft that moved was Piccinino, who being in-
formed, that if he made an afiault upon the town of
Pifano, he might eafily carry it. But failing in that,
h? laid wafte all the. adjacent Country, and not only
took St. Giovanni alia Vena, but plundered it and
burnt it down to the ground. The fuccefs of this
lenterprize (though he failed in his main defign) de-
termined him to attempt fomething further -, efpe-
cially when he faw that neither Gini, nor the Count'
ftirted out of their quarters to oppofe him. He
^ therefore made an* attack upon Su Maria in Caftello
. ^nd Filetto, and took them both. Yet even this
did not provoke the Count to put himfelf in mo-
tion ; though he was not afraid to face the enemy;
but becaufe the Government of Florence had not
yet fully refolved to declare war, out of reverence to
. the Pope, who was ftill negociating a peace. But
this manner of proceeding, which was the effeft of
moderation and prudence in the Florentines, being
imputed to pufiUanimity by the enemy, fo elated
them that they marched forward and fat down with
all their fortes before Barga, This new provocation,
\.. ...» . ^ ' hdwv

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^Qk V. O P F L O R E N C E. §r J

Jiow^ver, determined the Florentines to lay afide. att
refpe<a, and not; only to relieve Barga if poffible, bue
^o invade the territories of th^ Lucchefe- For
ivhich purpofe^ the CouAt advancing direótly to^
wards Pipcinino, engaged and liOujced his army, zU
moft under the walls of that town, and forced him to
raifc the fiege. In. the meai^ tiaie, the Venetians
perceiving the Duke had broken his engagements
with them, fent Francifco da Gonzaga, their com-
mander in chief, to Ghiaradadda, who made fuch
devaftation in the Duke's territories, that be wa$
forced to recall Piccinino out of Tufcany. Thif
retreat, and the advantage which the Florentines had
lately gained over him, encouraged them to make aà
^tempf ypon Lucca, and not without great hop«
pf reducing that city ; in which expedition they pro-
ceeded without either fear or ceremony^ as they f^!ir
.;he Puke, who was the only pcffon that could interr
rupt their defigns, was likely to be fufficiently em-
. ployed by the Venetians ; and the Lucchcfe could
liot with any f^ce complain of hoftilities being cont-
xnenced againft them by a peqple whofe enemies they
had received into iheir bofom,. and giving them an
opportunity of invading their dominions. In the b«-
. gjnning of April therefore 1437, ^^^ Count put bis
. army in motion again : but being defirous of reco-
vering what the Florentines had loft, before be in-
vaded others, he firft retook St. Maria in Caftello,
, and all their other towns which Piccinino had made
rbimfclf matter of: and then dir^éting his march to-
. Wards th^ territories of the (.iUcchefe, he laid fiege to
Camajore, the inhabitants of which, though very
well affcded to their matters, being terrified at the
fudden arrival of the enemy before their gates, for-
got their loyalty, and furrcndered to the Count,
. With the fame facility he reduced Mafia and Sere-
zana, before the end of May j and then carried his
arms into the confines of Lucca, where he laid watte
all their corn-fields, burnt the Villages, cut up their
Vines, and fruit trees^ drove away their Cattle, and

fpared

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14 TU E HISTORY^ Beok V^

^red m)ì[hing that his foldklri èouM'Iay iheii^fmnd»
on. ,Tiie Liucchefc on the other handv Teeing them^
fyì^es abàiidOTMsd by'the^Doke, and in ho ;Condtci(>tt
te idtìfend their Country, >etif ed inéodiecityi which
they fortified^ with iiedouòts and other works^in fach
tftnncwuier, tha;t they wè?é" not widMtit ho(pe^ éf de-
fending nt for i(W»ie Cime; eipecklly aìs they had a
iftrong g^rifon ' wittón the waifs, and remembered
how often the Fto^cAtints' had mifcarried in their for-
mer attempts iipoft' It. The only tfeing they* had to
fear, wag the bafei^éft^dPnd^frefoluttóii of th^é <^om'mon
people, who being Weaiied* out with a fiege, wotrtd
«oft likely prefer their own private fafety to the li-
à>erty of 'the public, and^orce %hem to fome igno»-
wiinious capitulatron. To iwicourage (hem therefore
-to mt^i^ «ròfoiyre* deferite, one of the òldeft and
imoft experienced of the Citizens, hàvìhg called them
together in the gi^e$t Pia^zza, Warangued them in the
•following mafirtei":

1 f^Yc need not be t(^d, fellow* citizens, that whatr
•focvertó theeffeia of neccflity, deferves neither een-
fixtcw^r applaufe. So that if ye fhéuld aecufeAJs as
--«hewJCàfipn of a war which the Florentines have now
- còmttìeficed agamft ò>tjr State, by admitting the Dukc*s
^forces itito this dtyv arid givmg them a mare conve-
nient opportunity of invading thcii* dominions, ye
-certainly do us mtich wrong ; fince ye mifft all but
too well remember the'many attempts they have for-»
merly made uponiw, which have not fcèen owing' to
any itijuries that we hav*e done them, or any juft ap-
prch^nficns from us on their fide, but to- our weakr
ftefs and their ambition i both which, from time to
time, have continually incited them to confpire our
' ruin. Let us not flatter ourfelves therefore, that any
merit on our part will ever divert them from their
purpofes, or any offence that we nwy give, can more
fully determine them in fuch ^ relblution : and fince
-it is their defire to deprive us of our Hbtrty, let it be
' our endeavour manfully to defend ir. We hav^ fuf-
ficient caufe indeed to lament, but not to be ftirprized,

at
7 ^

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Book V. O F F L O R E N C E. grjf

at their prefcnt manner of proceeding : for how is it
poffiblc to fupprefe oijr grief, when we fee our coun-
try invaded, our towns taken from us, our houfes
burnt, and our fields laid waftc ? but can any man
be fimple enough to wonder at it, when he confiders
that we fhould treat them in the fame manner, and
perhaps worfe if it was in our power ? And though
the arrival of Piccinino amongft us has furnilhcd
them with a pretence to begin this war upon us, yet
they would certainly have found out fome other, if he
bad not come hither : the evil might have been de-
ferred for a while, but it would in that cafe very Kkely
liave fallen fo much the heavier upon us at laft. So
that we ought not, in reality, to impute thefe misfor-
tunes to his coming, but to our own evil deftiny and
the ambition of our enemies : for we coqld neither
refufe admittance to the Duke*s forces, nor reftrain
them from committing hoftilities when they were here.
Every one muft needs know that we cannot poffibly
fnpport ourfclves without the aid of fome powerful
Prince; and that no one is either more abte or moPè
willing to defend us than the Duke. As he rcflx)r€d
our liberty when it was loft, we may rcafonably hope
he will ftiil maintain us in it ; efpccially againft ene-
mies fo implacable, that he himfeJf has always looked
upon them with abhorrence. If then we had offended
him for fear of difobliging the Florentines, weflbould
have loft a firm friend, and made our enemy ftill more
powerful and ready to attack us. It is furely there-
fore much more eligible to be at war with them, un-
der his protection, than to incur his difplcafure by
' patching up a peace ; as we may depend upon it he
will deliver us out of thofe dangers to which he has
cxpofed us, provided we are not warning to ourfclves.
Ye very well remember with what a degree of inve-
teracy jhe Florentines have often invaded us, and
with how much reputation we have always defended
ourfelves, even when we had no other hope but in
God, and in time-, both^which have hit-herto con-
^antiy prefcrycd us. And fine? we were enabled to

do

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31» THE HISTORY Jook V.

:<3o fo in thofc exigencies, why (hould we defpair of
. it at prefent ? At that tjine we were left to their mercy
by all the States of Italy, but now the Duke efpoufo
our caufe, and we have good reafoQ to hope the Ve-
netians will not be very forward to aqnoy us ; as they
look with a jealous eye upon the growing power of
our enemies. When the Florentines attacked us be-
fore, they were «ot fb much embarraflcd in their af-
fairs as they are now v' they had alfo greater depend-
ancc upon foreign affiftance, and were more powerful
ti>emfelvcs: on the contrary, we were every way
much' weaker than we are at prefent: for we then
.^ere obliged to defend a Tyrant -, but now wc fight
for ourfelves : at that time be reaped the glory of
defending us ; but now the reputation is our* own :
the enemy was then united and entire, but now fo
.divided and difmembered, that every part of Italy
fwarms with their Exiles. But if we had none of
-tbcfe motives to animate us, certainly we ought tt>
exert our utmoft «flforts to defend ourfelves in ibch a
conjuntìurc as this. Every enemy indeed ought to
bejuftly dreaded, by us, as they are all ready to take
advantage of our weaknefs to aggrandize themfelve§
livith our fpoils ; but the domination of the Floren-
tines is much more to be feared than that of any
other people. Tribute and obedience, and the go-
vernment of our city will not content them; they
will feize iipon our very perfons and houfes, to fatiate
. their cruelty with our blood, and their avarice with
. our pofleffions : fo that it behoves every one of us, of
what rank or condition foever, to guard againfl: them
above all others. Let us not defpair however, tho*
we fee our Country laid wafte, our towes reduced to
. afhes, and our lands in the hands of the enemy ; for
if we can fave our city, thofe of neceflity muft re-
turn into our pofleffion -, but if wc lofe that, it wHI
avail us nothing to preferve the other: if we main-
tain our libefrty, they will hardly be able to continue
matters of our eftates ; but if we are to be flaves, it
■ fignifies but little what becomes of them. X-et qs

take

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Book V. O P F L O R E N C E §if

take ai-ms then, and in the day of battle, kt cyery
man remember that he Is fighting not only for bis
country, but for the prefervation of his wife and chil-
dren and 'private fortune/*

The latter part of this fpeech excited fuch a fpirit
in the people, that they unanimoufly promifed to flied
the laft drop of their blood, rather than fail in the
duty they owed to their Country, or liftcn to a peace,
that (hould be in any wife prejudicial to their liberty ;
and immediately began to make all necelTary prepa*
rations for the defence of the City. '

In the mean time the Florentine army was not in-
aftive : for after they had committed great devafta*
tion in the adjacei^t country, they took pofleffion of
Monte Carlo by capitulation, and then laid fiege to
Uzzano, in order to diftrefs the Lucchefe on every ,
iide in fuch a manner,* that when there was no hope
of relief from any quarter, they might be compelled
by famine to fubmit to them. The Citadel however,
was very ftrong and had a numerous garrifon in it,
fo that it did not prove fo eafy a matter to reduce it
as the reft. The Lucchefe feeing they were thus
ftraitened, had rccourfe to Duke Philip (as might
well be expefted) and recommended themfelves to
his proteftion in the moft preffing terms ; fometimes
reminding him of their p^ft fcrvices, fometimes of
the infults he himfclf had received from the Floren-
tines, and fometimes reprefenting to him *' how much
it would animate his other allies, ^when they faw him
thus ready to intcrpofe in their defence : and on the
other band, how greatly it muft difcouragc them, if
they (hould be left to the mercy of their enemies.
That in cafe they ihould lofe their lives or liberties, he
would alfo lofe his friends and his reputation at the
fame time, as well as the confidence of all others who
ftould at any time expofe themfelves to the like dan-
gers to ferve him. To thefe remonftrances they
jidded tears and entreaties befeeching him to have
compaffioh on them at leaft^ if he had no remem-
bi^ance of ft>rmer obligations." The. Duke therefor^,

not

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^t8 T H E H 1 S T O R Y fiook tf.

not only confidering the late merit of the Lucchefe^
and the ancient enmity of the Florentines tohini^buc
being likewife very defirous to prevent them froai
growing dill more powerful by frefli acquifitions, r^*-
folvcd either to lend a confiderable army into Tus-
cany, or to make a vigorous war upon the Venetians ;
that fo the former might be necefllcatcd to abandon
their prefent entcrprize,in order to march to their afTifti»
ance. As foon as the Florentines had intelligence of this
refoliuion, they began to grow fick of their under*
taking ; and therefore^ to find him fufficient employ*
me0t at home, they earneftly follicitcd the. Venetians
to fall upon him with all their forces in Lombardy.
But the Venetians being daunted at the defertion of
the Marquis of Mantua, who had quitted their
fervice and gone into the Duke's ; and feeing them-
felves in a manner difarmed thereby, made anfwer^
«* that they were fo far from being able to become
principals in the war, that they could not take any
fliare at all in it, except they would fpare them Count
Sforza to command their army ; and upon conxlitiori •
too, that he (hould be obliged to pafs the Po with
it in pecfon : otherwife, they would not embark in
the war (notwithftanding any former engagements)
fmce they could neither carry it on without a Gene-
ral, nor hope for fuccefs from the conduct of any
one but the Count; nor even from his, unlefs he
■would engage to ferve them with equal vigour and
fidelity in alt parts." The Florentines faw very
plainly that it was ncceflary to make a powerful di*
verfion in Lombardy ; but confidcred that if they
parted with the Couiit, their enterprize againft Lucca
inuft fall to the ground : and they, were likewife
aware that the Venetians made that demand, not out
<ff any real occafion they had for him, but to pre^
v^nt them from becoming mafters of that State.
On the other hand, the Count did not refufe to go
into Lombardy to ferve the Confederates ttere, but
was refolved not to violate the obligation /he lay un-
dtr not to pafs the Po i for fear of forfeiting the ad-
van cggcs

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tùokV: 0 F vF LORE ¥^ C É. p^

▼antages he exppftedfrotn his protnifcd allraiKC witK
the Dukcr» So that betwixt the defire of reducing
l^ucca, and the apprebenfwjn of being cmbroikd in
a war with the Duke, the Florentines were in no
Httk perplexity. But fear at laft prevailing over am-
bition, as it generally happens, they confented that!
the Count, ^fcer he had taken Uzzano, IhouW march
into Lonibardy. There ftill remained another diffi-
culty however, whieh fcemed much harder to be fur-
Inountcdi, and gave thcm^more trouble and vexation
riian the foumer . For the Cotint would not be obliged
to pals the Po ; and the Venetians would not take
Kim into their pay upon any other conditions. But
as thcre^vi^s no way to accommodate thefe differences,
without making fome conceflions on one fide or the
other, the Florentines prevailed upon the Count to
promife them ift a letter to the Signiory, that he
would pals tha;c riverì telling him, that a private
promife could not dilfol^ve a public engagement, and
that he would be under no necefficy of obferving it :
from whence they (hould gain- this advantage, that
when the Venetians had once begun a war, they.
would be obliged to perfecute it ; which perhaps
might divert the ftorm they were then threatened
with themfclves. On the other hand, they repre-
fented to. the Venetians, ** that as fuch a letter waa
fufficiently binding, they ought to be fatisfied with
ift : that it was but reafonable to fkreen the Count, as
much as they could^ out of regard to the expeftations
he might have from his future father- in-law : aad
that it was both their intereft and his, not to divulge
the letter without a manifeft occafion.** The Ve-
netians appearing fatisfied with this, expedient, it was
accordingly determined to fend the Count into Lorn-»
bardy; who having taken lizzano, and thrown up
fome works round Lucca to keep it flill blocked up,
recommended the fuperintendance of that war to
Commiifaries, awl pafiing the * Apennihes advanced

• The orìginàf -ftp, fejffb V Afpiy ht \>:if^tà. the Alps. But it ii
plain, the Apennines are here meant. And though the word Alps

to

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Ita THE HI S T 6 R f BsokV^

to Reggio. But -the Venetians fuipefbiog his fin-»-
ccrity, and defirous to difcover his real intentions^
lent him orders thither to pafs the Po immediately
and join their forces : which being, peremptorily rc-
fufed by the Count, nfiuch ill language paflcd betwixt
him and Andrea Mauroceno, who brought him thofe
orders, each upbraiding the other with pride and in-
fincerity : fo that afccr much altercation, one infiflingf
that he was not obliged to pafs the River, and the
other protefting he fhould receive no pay if he did
not, the Count returned into Tufcany, and Mauro-»
' ceno to Venice.

Afccr this, the Count encamped in the territories
of Pifa, by an order from the Florentines, who ex*
pedcd he would ftiil have condudted the war againft
the Lucchefe j but in that they were difappointed»
For the Duke being informed, that he had refufed
to pafs the Po, out of refpeft to him, began lo en-
tertain fome hopes that he might prefervc Lucca by
his mediation, and therefore defired him to ufe his
endeavours to make a peace betwixt the Lucchefe

is generally appropriated, by way of eminence, to that vaft ridge of
mountains which divides Italy from France, Germany, and Switzer-
land, yet the Latin, Greek, and Italian writers (and Machiavel in
particular) very often apply it to other mountains, and in both
numbers. The French ufe it only in the plural. The fingular is
Chiefly found amongft the poets. And indeed it fignifies any higK
mountain. Antonini fays, ** Alpe lignifica in generale ogni altiflìm^
montagna, come in Greco e in Latino; i Fi*ancefi non Thanno in
quefto fentimento : particolarmente fjgniftca quella che fafcia Tltalia
da tramontana. GV Italiani l' ufano nel Angolare e nel plurale $ come;
<ft* fte^e in A\pt Jenza tvenio ; e, giafu V Alpi neva agogni mtofa»,** Tha
Bnglifh ufe it in the fame manner. Milton makes his Sampfon Ago-
BÌftes fay, 1. 628.

" No breath of vernal air from fnowy Alp.**

Which mud be meant of the mountains of Paleftine $ sis if could not
without great impropriety be fpoken of any other, efpccially of thofo
In Italy: For what breath of vernal air Could he expe»Sl from moon*
tains that w^re at the did^nce of fa many hundred leagues^ froiii him ;
if indeed he conld be fuppofcd to know there were any fuch in being ?
The Appennines run the whole length of Italy, from the north wefÉ
%Q the touth-eaft, and may, perhaps, be deemed a ramification 0/
thofe mountains that are particulaily called the Alps. They lay éu
retìly in the Count's, way from Lncca into Lombardy, whither he
could not pofRbly get without paffing them, and arc at a great dif-
tance from the other,

and

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Book V-, OF I? L O R E N C S %m

and the FIorcAtihcs, und get hiili inciuded In it if pof-i
fitoles ftiU buoying him up witfi^the promift of hii
daughter in marriage at a more éonvenièrit opportu-^.
pky : ^hich made no flight impfcffion upoh the
Count, who was in hopes, thar by futh an alliance,
he might likewife fometime or other become Lord of
Milan, as the Dufce had no fons. He therefore ufcd
nil means to ^cv^nt the Florentine» from profecuting
the war, protefting that, for his^owii part, he would
not give himfclf any further concern about it, except
the Venetians would firft pay hinfj the afrears that were
due to him, and fulfil tlicir other engagemèrits : fot
than the payment of his arrears alone, was not fuffi-
Cient to maititain . him in the <}uict poffeffion of hia
State, without fome other fupport befides that of the
Florentines. So that if he was abandoned by the Ve-
netians, he mjaftdo ai welt as he could for himfelf j
hinting, at the fimc time,, riiat he Wóutó go over to
theOuke.

, Thcfe cavils and double dealings exeeedingly cfiar^
gfiwd the Florentìncs, who faw that they muft
rtol only give up all thoughts of making themfclves
matters of Lucca, but provide for the fafcty of'theii^
qwn don^iniotìs, .which would be in great dan^r if thd
Dufee and the Gount fliould join forces againft them.
They fcnt Cofifiio de* Medici, therefore, to Venice,
in. hopes that a man of his reputation would be able
to prevail t^on the Venetians tg perform their en-
gagentients with the Count. But after the affair had
been thoroughly difcufled in the Senate, and he had
repref^nted to themac large theftate of affairs in Italy
at that time, the greatnefs of the Duke'i power, the
fcputation of his^arms, and fbewed them, that if he
was reinforced by the Count, they would be driven
back again to the Sea, and the Florentines in the ut-
itioft danger of lofing their liberties ; the Venetians
piade apfwcr, ^ That they knew their own ftrength,
and that of the other Italian States, and trufted they
Aould be able to defend themfelves upon occafion.
That it was not the cultom of their Republic to pay
Vol. I. y ^ foi.

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:f^x THE HI STORY Boo*. V.

Ifaldicrs who fought for others -, and therefore, they
thought the Florentines ought to pay the Count, as
they bad employed him. That in order to enjoy
their dominions with fccurity, it was more rtcceffery
to humble his pride^ than to lupport it by penfions :
for as his ambition hiKl m> bounds, if they now paid
him his demands, when he had done them no fer«
viqe, he would foon make others, which perhaps
might be more dangerous and difhonourable to them*
That it appeared of the laft confcqucnce to them, to
curb his infolence in time, and not fufFer it to become
incorrigible : but if they were defirous to continue
him their friend, either out of fear or any other mo-
tive, they would advife them to pay him by al)

means."

With this diflatisfaftory anfwer, Cofimo returned
to Florence, The Florentines howcver,'earneftly fol-
licited the Count not to. abandon his confederates ì
which indeed, he was not very defirous to do : but
his impatience to be married to the Duke's daughter,
kept him in fuch fufpence,. that every little accident
fl^ook his refolution. He had Jcft the care of his pof-
fefJGions in La Marca,, to Furiano, one of his principal
officers ; who being tempted by great offers from the
Duke, quitted the Count's fervice, and went ov«* to
him J which fo alarmed the Count, that he laid afide
all other confideratipns, and entered into a treaty witll
the Duke y in which, amongft other articles, it wtis
agreed betwixt them, that the Duke fhoiild i}Ot, fof
the f*uture, interfere in the affairs of Tufcany or Ro*
magna, j^fccr this agreement, the Count took great
pains to perAiade the Florentines to come to an ac-
commodation wièh^ the Lucchefc;.and, indeed, ina
IDanner compelled ttiem to it : for as they faw there
was no other hope left, they made a peace with thenv;.
in the month of April 1438 ; by which the^Lucchefe
were left in the enjoyment of fheir liberties j and the
Florentines kept pofleffion of Monte Carlo, and fomc
other fortreffes they had taken, from them. But not
fatisfied with this, they wrote letters into all parts of

Italy^

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ISook V. OF F L O R È N C E. 32$

Italy, full of murmurs and complaints, that, fincc
God and man had not been plcafcd to fufFcr them to
reduce the Lycchefe under their dominion, they ha4
been forced to nriakc a peace with them. And it
has very fcldom happened, that any other people faa$
Ihewn fo much regret at the lofs of their own tcrri^
tories, as the Florentines exprcffed, when they found
they were not able to ufurp thofc of their neigh»
bours.

Notwichftanding, they were fo bufily employed at
this time in theii* own affairs, yet they found leifur^
to attend alfa to thofe of their friends, and to bcau-j
tify their City. Niccolo Fortebr^ccio, who had mar^
ried a daughter of the Count de' Poppi, being dcad^
and Poppi having got poffeQion of the Bourg and
Citadel di San Sepulchro, during the life of his foo»
ii>-law, flill held them in the name of his widow
J[pretending they had been fettled upon her) and re^
fufed to deliver them up to the Pope, who de-
manded them, as ufurped from the Church. Upon
.which, his Holincfs fent the * Patriarch of Alexan-»
dria, with an army, to wrcft them out of hh hands ;
and the Count finding he was not able to maintala
thep, made an offer of them to the Florentines;
which they refufed to accept; and at thq Pope's re-»'
turn to Florence, endeavoured to accommodate mat»
tejs betwixt riiem. But as the treaty was attended
with many difficulties and delays, the Patriarch made
an aflault upon Cafentino, took Prato Vecchio, and
Romena, which he likewife in his turn offered to
the Florentines, who would have nothing to do with
them, except the Pope would confentthat they ihould
rettore them to the Count; to which, after much
wrangling, he at laft agreed, upon condition that the

• A Patriarch is a ^eat Dignitary in the Church, above an Arch*
l»ifliop. A Billaop prelided only over the territory of the City whereof
he was Bi(hojp«, A Metropolitan fuperj^i tended a Provinfze, and h«d
the Biihops ot it for hVs Suffragans. A Primate wts the chief of 4
^iocek, and had feveral Metropolitans under him. A Patriarch ha j
under hitQ' ièveral Diocefes^ the Primates themfclves werj: fubje^ tè

y 2 iioz

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^^*

THE HISTORY $ook Y.

Flai;cntincs would ufe their intcrcft with the County
to rettore the Borgo di San Sé'puìchro to him. After
his Hólincfs was thus fatisfied, the Florentines bein;^
oefirous to have Divine Service performed in their
fcathcdral Church of St. Reparata, (which had been
ìriàny years in boilc}iog> but was now finilhecì) en-
treated him to oblige them fo far, as to confecratc
n himfelf : to which he willingly confencing, a gal-
lery was built (to heighten the folemnity, and fhc^
greater honour to the Pope) from St. Maria Novella,
where he relidcd, to St. Reparata, eight yards ia
breadth, and four in I^eight, under a very richly crp-
broidered Canopy, and hung on the fides with cl^otli
òF gold, thi'ougn >yhich his Holinefs only and hi$
^ouit was to pafs, with fuch of the Magittrates and
principal Citizens, as were tJeputed to attend him j
all the re(l of the people crowding into the ftreet,
Ihfc windows oi their houfes^ and every part of the
Church, to entertain themfelves withfo magpificcnk
a fpeftacle. When the ceremony was over, the PoRC,
as a'nirther'inftance of his refpeft'for the City, con^
ferred the honour of Knighthood uppn Giuliano d^
Avanzati, then Gonfalonier of Juftice,' and a Citizeó
of very great arid long éftablilhed reputation V ind
the Signiory^, out of regard to a man vyhpm his I^
liriefs had been pleàfed to diftinguiih, likcwifc iDaife
^irp governor of Pifa for one year.' " ^

About this time, certain difputes arofc betwixt th?
|loman and Greek Churches,* concerning their mbde^f
of PIvine worihipj in fome particulars of which,
they did not altogether agree. . And as much ha^
been faid upon that fubjeft by the Prelates of the
VVeftern Church in the laft Seffiop of the Councij
held at Bafil, it was determinecl to uie all means tQ
bring the Emperor and the Greek Bifliops thither,
to try if matters could be accommodatted betwixt
the two Churches. And though it Icepied deroga-*'
tory to the Majefty of the Eaftern* Emperor, and
inortiBed the pride of his Prelates to fubmit to the
Roman Pontif ; yet as they were diftrcflcd by the

Turk;

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Book V. O ì? > L O R E N C É. p^

Turk, and pot able to defend themielvcs, tbcy
thought it thè Kcft way to comply ; tnat fo thej'
might with greater confidence demand the affiftanqf
of thè wcftern Chriftians. The Emperor therefore^
together with the Patriarch of Conftantinople, and
feveral other Grecian Prelates and Barons, in qbi^
dience to the order of the Council, came to Venie»
with a defign to proceed to Bafil : but as they went
frighted at, the news of the plague Jbeing there,; it
was refolvèd that their differences (hould be difcuflfefl
and decided àt Florence, where they accprdingly jtf-
ièmbìed : and after many long debaters^ which laded
ftveral days in the Cathedral Church oif that City, thf
Greeks fubmitted, and were reunited with the Church
and Pontif of Rome *. , . , i

After a peace was concluded betwixt the Lucchefe
and i^hé Florentines, and betwixt Count Sfpr:^fi an4
the I>ukè of Milan, it was tliought all difturbances
would have fubfided in Italy, efpccially in Lombar^jr
and Tufcany : for as to the war which was ftill car«>
ried oh betwixt Regnier of Anjoii, and Alphonfo c^
Arragon, there Was no likelyhood of its being enc^edj»
but with the ruin of either one or the other of tho/i
two competitors. And ^though the Pope was nor a
little exafperaced at the lofs of fo t^iany towns as hsi4
been taken from him ; and the ambition ot the Duke

• The (Joancilof Bafil, was only a pro,l(jnga^on qffprersijo^pn^
which had been fuiHrnoned by Pope Martin V. fométimes at Pavia»
and fometimes at gien? :. but as foofi as EugAmJtit IV. was eìeóled, ìta^
1 43 1, the fathers there alTembled, began with declaring» that > the
Pofiehad neither a' right to diffolve, .nor even to transfer tbeifap
femblv ; and that he himfelf was fubjef^ to theib jhrìrdiéHon. Vfm
this declaration, Eu^i^ius iflued oot a Bull to dilfolve, the Co^p^9*
- The conteft lafted a Ion? tiroe^ and both the Eaft and Weft were ^*
gaged in it. Tlic Gfcck Empire was no longer afcle to fupport itfclf
againft the Turl^, wt^^out the aiGftance of the Latin Princes tand
in order to obtain a weak and rery prejcs^^ioua Jqpplyi this EaJ|e^
Church muft fubnift to that ofRome. The G Action Clergjf wei-c not
at all inclined to^tfiisjfutoiiBotif nay, as their dan j^er.increafed» tbey
rather grew more ftubborn. But the £rnpero|- John Paleolo^rus tt*
folved to comply, that he might fecure fomc aiTilVance at leaft'; and
add^ding^himietf at ttfe fòhie time, both^to th^ Pope and to the
Council» they vied wi^ each other, who ihottld have the honour of
converting the Gi'éèks. ' '

Y 3 and

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^^ THE HISTORY Book %

and the Venetians were fufficiendy known to every
one; yet it was imagined hh Holinefs would b^
forced to be quiet out of nécclÈty, and the others,
but of downright wearinefs. But it happened quite
otherwifc : for neither the Duke, nor the Venetians
could reft in peace ; but foon took up arms again,
and raifcd frefK wars iit Lombardy and Tufcany. The
Duke^s pride was piqued that the Venetians fhould
ftill keep poffeffion of Bergamo and Brefcia, and fo
inuch the more^ as he faw them continue armed and
making cxcurfiòns every day to harrafs and ravage
his other dominions ; and at a time too, when he
thought himfelf able, jiot only to curb their infolence,
but recover the towns they had ftripped him of; cf-
pecially, when they were drfcrtcd by the Pope, the
Florentines, and the Count. He therefore refolved.
If poflible, to take Romagna from the Pope, imagin-
ing, it would not be in his power to moleft him, whert
lie was once in poffeffion of that ; and that the Flo-
rentines feeing the-fire fo near them, would not dare
;to move, for fear of being burnt themfclves : of, that
if they fhould, they could not eafily do him any mif-
chief. He likewife was no (granger to the refentmcnt
which the Florentines harboured againft the Vene-
•tians, for their late behaviour to them in the affair
'of Lucca, and thought they would upon that ac-
<ount be lefs inclined to take up arms in their favouf.
As for Count Sforza, he concluded that the treaty he
had fo lately made with him, and the hopes of mar-
rying his daughter, would keep him ftill attached to
his intercfts. And to avoid the imputation of per-
.fidy, and give others the lefs occafion to arm againft
hm, he contrived matters fo, that Niccolò Piccinino
fliould invade Romagna, (as if it was foleJy to gra-
tify his own ambition) fince he could not openly cm-
bfirk in that enterprize himfelf, without being accuferi
of violating the engagement he had entered into with
Sforza.

' At the time when that treaty was concluded, Pic-
cinino was^in Romagna, and pretended (as it ha^

been

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^

Book V. OF FLORENCE. 327

been concerted betwrxt him and the Duke) to be fo
highly difgufted at the alliance he had entered into
with his profelTed enemy the Count, that he retired
with his forces to Camurata, a town betwixt Furli
and Ravenna ; where he fortified himfelf, as if hd
intended tp ftay there till he could* be employed by
fome other State, The report of his difguft being
induftriouQy fpread abroad, he took an opportunity
of reprcfenting to the Pope^ how ungratefully the
Duke had requited him for his long and faithful fer*
vices : that he knew it was his defign to make him-
£blf mafter of all Italy, and that he thought he fhould
be able to accomplilh it, as he had got two of the
moft experienced Commanders, and confequently all
the beft forces of it in his fervice. But that, if his
Holinefs pleafed, he would point out means to him»
by which he could make one of thofe Commanders»
upon whom the Duke fo much depended, beconie
his utter enemy, ahd the other entirely unlerviceable :^
for if his Holinefs would furnifli him with money to
pay his troops, he would fall upon the territories
which the Coiant had taken from the Church, and
find him.fuch employment there, that he would have
no leifupeto afllft the Duke in his ambitious defigtiSé
Thefc propofak feeming feafible enough, the Pope
eagerly liftened to them, and not only fent him five
thoufi^<i(i ducats, but promifed to provide iargdy
both for him and his Children. And though his Ho-
linefs was warned by feveral to beware of Piccinino;
yet he gave ho credit to them, nor would bear to heat
any thing faid againft him*

Oftafio da Polenta was Governor of Ravenna fòf
the Church ; and Piccinino now thiftking it high timi
to proceed to the execution of his defigns (as his fon
Francifco had taken and plundered Spoleto, to the
great difhonour of the Pope) refolvcd to make an at*-
tempt upon Ravenna ; either becaufe he thought he
was more likely to fucceed in that entcrprize than any
other, or had a private correfpondcnce with the Go-
vewior : whatever might be his motive, it furrea*-

Y 4 dered

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jaa THE HISTORY Book V:

4ered upon terms^ After a fiegc that latfted bvtt a fcvr
days. Afw whicb» he feizedupon Bologna, Imola»
apd Furl^ apd w.bk^h waa ftiU more unexpected, out
qf twemy foitcefles that were garrifoned with the
^p{i^'s tfoopi^iin thofe parts, there was ihdc one tboe
did npE fall Ulto the hands of Piccinina ; who, not
conitcot with bafely robbing: him of thofe pojBfeffiofts,
a^ded infoknqe tp hi^ perfidy, and cold hiis HolineÀ
if> a letter whiicb h^ wroie to htni, ^* tha£ he choogbt
h^ h^d ferned him yery. righe for acteorptiiig in ib^
fl^ajCiii^lefs a Qj^nner, to break* the friend&ip that had
^ long fui^fifted betwixt the Duke and him -, and
^ writing let{;ers iniCo all pares of Italy to. make peo*-
pl($ believe hq had abandoned that I^nce, and was-
gone over tjo. the Yeoctiaus.

After Piqcir^ino hadi thus maàt himielf matter of

Romagna» he' left the. defence of it to his fon f ran-

^i^Q, and mflfched himfelf with the greater part of

hie forces into Loihbardy, where he pined the reflJ

^ the Dukc'^^myv ^nd falling into the tcrrictiriea

of Brefcia, fOpn reduced all thatrpact of the Country,

«nd then fat down teforc the city itfelf. But the

Puke, who carncftiy, wifhed to fee the Venetians dr*

ferted by iheir Allies, and left alone to his mercy,

took: great pains to cl^ar himfelf to the Pope, the

Florentines, and Count Sforza from the fufpicion of

being inany.wife acccflary to Piccinino*» proceedings

in Romagna; and faid that what he bad done there

3f?a3 exceedingly difpleafmgto him» as it wasfocon^

trary to. his engagements : fccredy; afTurtng thenr,

that at a proper time and opportunity, he would not

fail.tamaki? Mm fnoart for his difobedience. The

Florentines and the Count, however, paid little re*

gird tiothefc proteftetions ; and thought^ (which in*

dted was the cafe) that the late outrage had been

committed upon the Pope with a view to check and

ove^awc them, whilft he himfelf fell upon the Ve*

netians ; who thinking they werci fofficiently abk of

themfelves to cope with him, were fo l^ty that they

43ASàmcd tp aik a/Tdhnce fromanyotbòr State^ and

' . 7 ^ truftcd

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Book V. O F F L O R E N C E. ^^

trufkcd foldy to their General GafPatfttWà to condùtìt
the war. Count Sfórza waìs defirous to have gone tor
the relief of Reghier of Anjou iri the Kingdom of
Naples, if he had not been prevented by the dittor-
bances which happened in Lombardy ztìd Ròmfagnìa.;
and the Flwentitics were very well inclined to have
aflBfted hina in that cnter|)ri2e, out of thf amity
which bad always fuòriffed betwixt their Republic
and the Crown of France. The Duke, on the con-
trary, woukt Wittingly have pfoteéfcd AIpRonfo^ d
Arragon, as be had con traced a friendUtìp' with hint
Wjbilft he Was his prifoner. But they all had fuck
employtnent at home, as would' not fuffer tfietti t6
concern thcmfelves in foreign affairs.

The Ftorentines, therefoi^, feeing Romagna in thd '
hands of the Duke, and tfte Venetialns hard' preflferf
by him, begstn to apprehend that the* deprcmon of
riicir neighbours might perhaps conduce to thei^
own ruin. Upon which, they foilkitcd Sforma td
come into Tufcany, that they might concert meafuTei
to prevent the Duke from making any further pro-
grefs V fince he was now become much more power-
ful than ever he had been before : adding, that if
his ambition was not effcfliuaHy curbed by fomc
means or other, all the States in Italy would foórt fed
the effefts of it. ^ The Count was ferifible that the
Florentines had fufficient reafon for thcle appne-
henfions : but the earneft dèfire he had tt> conclude
the match with the Duke's daughter, ftill k^pt him
in fufpence. And' the Duke, who was well awire of
ir, continually fikttered him fVom- time to time tfiàt
it ftiould fpeedily be confummated, provided Hr did
not take up arms againft him, as the lady was* jiON^
of a. marriageable age. Nay the fàrce wa^ carried
on fo far; that fometimes' great preparations werfc
made for the wedding -, when all on a ftiddea; fbnftfe
frefh exoufe or other was* found out to* pi'Otraft it.
However^ to keep him quiet an^d prevent all fuf-
picion; he fcnt bim the fum^of twenty thoUfand*^Ò-
rinsi wbich'Was to be herdbwer by the" atticlès ctf

mar-
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5^. T H E HISTORY Book V.

nftarriagc. In the mean tinie, the war began to wax
hot in Lombardy» and the Venetians every day loft
fomc town or other-, the VefTels which they fitted
cut to cruife along their coafts, were continually
taken -, the country about Brefcia and Verona, en-,
tirely in the enemy's hands -, and thofc two Cities fa
clofcly inveftcd by the Duke's forces, that it was gc-
Berally thought they could not hold out long. The
Marquis of Mantua, who comniandcd their forces
for tnany years, had unexpeftedly left their fcrvicc,
and gone into the Duke's : fo that in the progrefs of
the war, fear at laft compelled them to do that,
which their pride would not ftoop to in the beginning
of it. For when they began to perceive there was no
other hope left but from the fuccour of the Floren-
tines, and Count Sforza, they condefcended to afk it,
though not without much diffidence and fqfpicion
that the Florentines would return them fome fuch
anfwer, as they had given the Florentines in the af-
fair of Lucca and the Count's arrears. But they
found them much readier to comply with their de-
mands than they expefted, or indeed deferved, con-
fidering their late behaviour to them : fo much more
powerful was the enmity of the Florentines againA
an old inveterate enemy, than the refentment of a
flight they had received from an old Ally ! for hav-
mg long forefeen the extremities to which the Vc-
netiafns muft of courfc be reduced, they had reprc-
iènted to the Count *^ that his ruin was infeparable
firom theirs ; that he would find himfclf deceived if
he thought the Duke would treat him with ftiil
^greater regard, if he fucceeded in his defigns, than
be did at prefent: that he had promifed him his
daughter, only becaufe he ftood in fear of him ; and
iince neceffity compelled people to mak^ promifes,
that alone could enforce the performance of them : '
for which reafon, it behoved him to keep the Duke
low: and that could not be effeded without fup-
porting the power of the Venetians. That he ought
to confider therefore, that if the Venetians Ibould be

drivei\

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Book V. O F F L O R E N C E. ^

driven out of their ppfleflions upon the * Terra firma,
he would not only be deprived of all the conveniear
cies which might accrue from their alliance, but of
thofe alfo that he might hope for from others, out of
refpeft to them. That if he would rc&cQ: upon the
condition of the reft of the Italian States, he would
find fbme of them very poor, and others ill affeded
to him. That the Florentines alone, as they had
often given him to underftand, were not able to
maintain him : fo that he was obliged, by every mo-
tive, to ufe his utmoft endeavours that the Venetians
Ihould retain their territories upon the Continent.

Thefe arguments, joined to the refentment which
the Count had now conceived againft the Duke for
duping him, as he thought, in the match with his
Daughter, at laft determined him to enter into a con-
federacy with them (though he would not be obliged
to pafs the Po) and the articles were accordingly
figned in February 1438 : by which the Venetians
were to bear two thirds, and the Florentines one third
of the expences of the war ; both of them engaging
to defend the Count's poffcffions in la Marca, at their
owa charges. But the League thinking they had
not yet fufficient ftrength, brought alfo the Lord of
Faenza, the fons of Pandolpho Malatefta da Rimini,
and Pietro-gian-paolo tfrfini into the confederacy :
and though they tempted the Marquis of Mantut
with large offers, they could not detach him from
the Duke. The Lord of Faenza alfo (though the
confederacy had agreed to his demands) finding he
could have better terms, foon deferted them, and
went into the Duke's fervice ; which made them de-
fpair of putting fo fpeedy an end to the troubles in
Romagna as they had vainly promifed themfelves.

* So they call their dominions that lie upon the Continent, which
formerly were confiderable ; but at prefent they are very much «>•
duced, as well as their commerce and naval power. They hav^ par**
ticular magiftrates to fuperintend the affairs of what po^fliont they
^ave itili left upon the Terra firma» who are called ifa*vii della terra g
and there are yet feveral orders of Nobility, as Counts, Marouifi»,
&c. in that part of th^ir dominion « | but they are not treatea with.
>^y great regard at Venice, ^

Their

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THE HI S T 0 ft Y Book V-

* 'f heir affairs in LomBardy alfa were in i hid fituaf-*
tTott ; for Brcfcia was blocked up iii furch a mannei:
fcy the Duke's forces, that it wai daily èipttìcd to bè
obliged to furrender for want of pfovifidris. They
'«ere under the fame apprehenfions for Verona : and
if either of thofe Cities fliould be taken, they thought
any further prepiarations for war, ^)^ould bè to no par-
pofe, and all ^he oipences they had hitherto been at,
entirely thrown away. But there feeméd to be no
remedy, except tht Count would march into Lorn-
Wdy ; and in this, there were three obflacles to bé
funnounted. The firft was, to prevail upon him to
pafs the Po, atid carry the war whitherfoe\^er they
tommanded him. In the next place, they thought
they ftiould be left too much expofed when the Count
wtó gone : as the Duke might cafily retire into fome
of bis ftrong places, and whilft he kept the Count at
bay there with ohe part of his forced, he might fend
the othtr, in conjunékion with the exiles, into Tuf-
cany *, of which the Gbvernment of FJot-ence was in
Tery great appreheiilìòh. Arid liiftiy, to find a fecure
foutc by which the Count might niarch with his forceis
into the territories of Padba, where the Venetians' had
àffembltd theirs. Of thefe three difficulties, the fe-
cortd; which chiefly concerned the Florentines, feemed
to be the moft inipbrtant. HoWever, as the neceflity
Svas jirèflìrig, and they were tired with the importu-
nities of the Verfetiads, v^hó earnèftly follicited thetii
tO'I^ùt the Count and his forces in motion, without
W'bofe aid they cotiltì not pretend to do any thing,
they poftponed their own danger to the necelBty of
thfcir Allies. The laft point, whicH was' aTafir route
ibr the Count; they left to the care 9f the Vdnetiani.
And flnce it wa^ judged convenient by the Signióry tb
iend Ncri^ the fon of Gini Capponi, to concert ntea-
fiircs v<fith the Count arid perfuade him to pafi the Po:
they likewife determined that he fliould go on to Ve-
nice^,' to makie the favour appear ftill greater; to the
penate, and to ex{iedi te. necelfary. provi GoirstJierc fOT
the fecurity of the Count's march. Neri accordingly

cm-
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Book V. p F F L D R E N e E. sj^

embarked ^t Cefen^, an4 went by Sea tQ Venice,
where no Prince was ever received ^/ith greater ho-
nour by the Senate, and as they thought fhe prefer-
vation of their dominions .entirely pwjng to bis arrival
and the refoUitions that vyoyld be tal>.én upon it, he
Was immediately introduced into th^ Counpil, i^hen
be addrcfled himfelf to the Poge in the folb'wjng
manner : '' Dur Signiory have always been pf opi-
nion, Moft Serene Prince, that the ambition of th^
Duke pf Mihn, would fome time or pther be the ruia
botli of your Republic and our own^ except it was
preventecl i)Y their mutual defence and fupport of eaca
pther: and if this Senate ,had likewife been of tl^e
fameopinion, our affairs \youla have been in a bestcf
fituation, and yourfelves fecure from the danger whic^
now hangs ov,er your heads. But fince you have nei;
thef. bjeen plcafed to put any conftdeoce in us, nor to
lend us the aid you ought to have done in our pecei^
lities, we could not run with fo much eage^neii^
your alfj^ance, nor you fo well tell hoy/ to derpancl it,
as both fides might h^vje ' done, i( you hft4 deali!
with u^ either i'p your profpcrity or adverCty/like
the. men ^e really are, or knojvn that whom we Qi)f;c
love we alway^Jgve, and thofe that we hate we hate
for ever. Our ancient affeftion. for this illuftrious Se-
nate, yourfelves can Nyitnefs, who have feea Lpq)]bardy
fo often^ 6)lcd with our forces, ^nd what lofljbs we hj^ye
fuftained there to ferve you : and all the world k/iow^
the hatred we bear to Philip -, \vhich vye likewife Ih^Jl
continue tp Ijis family ; for v?ith i?$, the remembr^cp
of formcf fnendfhip is qot extinguiflied by recent ia-
jurics/ndr fhait; of ancient ei^mify, by modern fa^-
vour's, "We arc very certain that if we had flood
neuter iq this W^r, the Dukq woqld have thought
himfcl|^ rpucTi obliged to us, and that it coujd noi
Have been o|^ sjny great prejadic;^ to ourfelves : for if
he fliould drive ypu out of Lombardy, ,and becpme
fole Lord of it himfelf, therewould (iill be fuch r©-
fources left in Italy, that we fhould have no occaGoa
to defpair of our qwji prcfcryiatfon : fince ti^ more

any

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534 T H E H r S T O ÌR Y Book V.

any Prince increafcs his power and dominions, the
more envy and hatred be draws upon hioifelf ; which
give birth to wars chat generally end to his difadvan*
lage. We likewife know very well, what heavy ex-
pences and what dangers we might have avoided» by
not taking part with you in the war, and that by a6t-
ing otherwife, we may probably remove the feat of
it out of Lom hardy into our own Country., All thcfe
confidcrations however, weighty as they are, cannot
make us forget the afFedion we have fo long borne
to your State ; and we have refolved to fupport it
with the fame vigour that we fhould defend ourfelves
if we were invaded. Our Signiory therefore judging
it highly neceflary, in the firft place, to relieve Bref-
eia and Verona, which cannot well be effeftcd with-
out the afliftance of Count Sforza, fent me to per-
fuade him to march into Lombardy, and carry the
war into what part foever he fhall be direfted, though
ye need not be informed, illuftrious Senators, under
ivhat obligations he is not to pafs the Po : and yet I
have prevailed upon him to do it by the fame mo-
tives that influence our own conduft. And a$ he is
invincible in arms, he is unwilling to be outdone in
point of courtefy -, nay, he has even endeavoured to
exceed us, if poffible, in that franknefs and genero-
fity which he faw were the rules of our behaviour to
you. For though he was fcnfible to what dangers,
not only his own pofleffions, but all Tufcany would
be expofed in his abfence, yet when he faw that we
had poftponed all private intereft and confiderations
to your fafeiy, he freely did the fame. I come there-
fore, illuftrious Senators, to make you an oflfer of the
Count's fervice at the head of fevcn thoufand horfe,
and two thoufand foot, all ready to march whithcr-
foever they fliall be commanded. But it is the cx^
Deflation of our Signiory, and indeed of the Count
iimfclf, that, as they have fent a greater number of
"orces to your afliftance than they were obliged to do
>y treaty, you ^^ill not be wanting on your part, to
make him a liberal prov^iflon^ that.fo, neither he

may

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éook V. Ò F F L O R E N C £• ^jj

may have any càufe to repent of entering into your
fervice, nor our Republic, of having pcrfuadcd him

to It/'

This fpeech was liftened to by the Senate with as
much attention as if it had been dictated by an Ora-
cle, and made fuch an impreffiori, that without wait-
ing for the Doge to make an anfwer to it (as it had
always been cuftomary) the whole àflembly role from
their feats, and with hands lifted up and tears in their
eyes, returned thanks to the Republic of Florence
for their afFeftionatc regard to them 5 and to Nen
for having executed his Commiffion with fo much
addrefs and difpatch. They vowed that the fcnfe of
fuch an obligation, Ihould be for ever engraved, not
only upon their own hearts, but upon the hearts of
their pofterity ; and that for the futufe, they would
always look \Jpon the interefts of the Florentines and
their own to be the fame*

When thcfe emotions began to fubfide, they pro-
ceeded to deliberate' upon the route which the Count
fliould take; and upon the number of pontoons and
pioneers and other provifions that would be neccflary
to facilitate and fccure his march. There were (out
different routes: One from Ravenna along the (hore :
but that being -for the moft part ftraitened by the
Sea on one hapd, and Morafles on the other, was
not approved of. The next, was the direcft higfc(
road 5 but obftrudled by a fortrefs belonging to the
Duke, called Uccellino, which muft be reduced be-
fore they could proceed any further, and that would
take up more time than they could poffibly fpare, 3lÌ
the neceffity was urgent, and the utmoft expedition
required. The third was through the foreft of Lugoi
but as there was then a great fìood upon the Po, it
made the paffage that way akogetner impoflible.
There was, therefore, only one road left, which was
^rough the plains of Bologna, and over the bridges
at Pulcdrano, Cento and Pieve, and fo betwixt Fi-
nale and Bondeno to Ferrara; from whence they
migjht tranfport themfelvcs, partly by water and

partly

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'ii$ THE HISTORY Book V.

partly by land, into the territories of Padua, and

i'pin the forces of the Venetians there. Thi^ way had
ike wife its difficulties, and they were liable to be at-
tacked by the eneniy in feveral places. However,
as it was thought the belt upon the whole, the Coun(
had orders to take that route : upop which, he inr
ftaqtly began his march, and proceeded with fucb
expedition, that he arrived near Padua on the 20tb
pf June.

The arrival of this conimander in Lombardy re-
vived thQ drooping Ipirits of the Venetians in fuch
a manner, that they, who but a liule before feemed
almoft to dcfpair of their own prefervation, -now be-
gan to think of invading others. But the firft thing
V(hich the Count attempted was thq relief of Ve-r
yona : to prevent which. Piccinino amoved with his
army to Soave, a fortr^fe fuyated betwixt the tprri-r
tories of Vicenza and that City, where hp intrenched
him.fclf, and threvy up a Foflc that reached from
Soave to the Marlbes foriped by the river A^igc^
But when the Count faw his paflagc obftruded through
tlie' plain, be réjTolved to march over the Mountains,
jjnd, to pu(h on that way to Verona ; imagining the
other, would obt ^t all fufped his attempting any
paff^^p that way, hecau^ it >y^ exceeding rough and
difficult i or if he fiiould, that He would not have
time to prcventjt. Having provided his. army there-
fore wth pjovififxn^ for eight days march, hepaffed
the Mountains and arrived in the plaw beyond oogv^
^nd jhaugb Piccinina had faifcd ibmp forts to cut
i)jr hi^ palHige even this way, yet they: were not ftrong
^navJ^h to flop it». So that when be found the Count
]had squally paffed the mountai!n3| contrary to all
epcps^afion, he retired beyond the Adige, that he
ipight, avoid being forced to an engagement with
him Vppn difadvantageous tcrmjs: and the. Count
ftill advancing^ entered Verona without, any oppQ*
fition. • ^

The firft difficulty being thus fgrmounted, Brefcia
was in the next place to be relieved. That City

ftands

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ftajrids near the Lajcc di Oardj», and thoug|ì it vai
blocked up by land* it might ^t ,all tinies be fuppiieq
withjprovifion^ ivhilft the L^e continued operi. Puj:
the r)uke beli^ ajv^re of jtbiSj h^d poftcd troofì$
^ong the h^nks pf it, in the jBrft career of his fgc-
c^fs, and fccured all thofe towns that inigtit fend any
jjaffiftance thither by water. Tl^e Venetians had allp
fonac vGallics upon the Lake, but they were not cf
fufficient ftrecigth to dfiv.e off the Duke's forces*
Upon which accountj Sforza refolved to aft in con-
cept with thofe y.eOels, in order to make himfelf
tuafter of fuch towns, as kept the City blocked up
in that ftarving condition i and for that purpofe, fat
down before Sandolino, a Caftle fituated upon the
Lake; hoping, yfhtn he had takep th^t, ttie ce/l:
would foon furrender. JFortune hweyct" wa3 not pro-
pitious to him in this ùnde^t^king : for gr,eat .numbers
of his men falling fick, he w^s obliged to raife the
fìegeàtìd retire to Zeno, a fortrefs belonging to the
Veronefe, where there was a better aif and gfeatei?
abundance of provifions for them. No fooricr h^ct
the Count retired, but Piccinino, refolviiig not td
lofe fo fair an oj^portvpity of making hinpifélf maftef
of the Lake^ left his Camp at Vegafio, and pro-
ceeded with fome of his choiccft troops to the bankal
of it, where he made fo furious an attack upon thd
Venetian VelTels which lay there, that Jie took the
greater part of them^ and got poffcflion of moft of
the neighbourirtg Caftles. At this misfortune the
Venetians were in great conftcrnation ; and fearing
Brefcia muft now likcwifeof courfe fall into his hands^
th^y iènt very preffing and repeated melTages to de-
fire the Count would ufe his utmoft endeavours to
-prevent it. Seeing, therefore, allhopes of fuccoijr-
ing it. by water were now at ,an end, and that it was
impradicable to do ic by land on that fide, confidcr-
Jn^ the ditches, redoubts, and other obftacles that
JPiccinino.Ijad thrown in the w^iy, which would fO
emharrafs his forces, if he ihould engage the enemy
there, that they muft inevitably be defeated, he de-
VoL. L Z termioed

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338 T H E H I S T O R Y Book V.

termined to try whether it was not poffible to pafs
the Mountains and relieve the town that way, as he
had done Verona, With this defign he quitted Zeno,
and marching through the Vale of Acri to the Lake
of St. Andrew, he proceeded to Torboli and Penda
upon the Lake di Garda ; from whence he advanced
to Tcnna, which he laid fiege to, as it was neceflary
to reduce that fortrefs before he could get to Brefcia.
But Piccinino having intelligence of his march,
moved with his army to Pefchiera, where he joined
the Marquis of Mantua, and having picked out a
body of his very bed troops, he advanced to give
the Count battle, and the Count not declining it,
Piccinino's forces were entirely routed, fome of them
being taken prifoners, others flying to the main body of
their army, and the reft to the Gallies upon the Lake.
Piccinino hinifelf retired to Tenna the fame night,
and confidering with himfelf that if he ftaid there
till morning, he muft certainly fall into the. hands of
the enemy, h© refolved to run the laft rifque to avoid
fo imminent a danger. Of all his followers he had
only one German fervant left with him, who was a
very lufty ftrong fellow, and had always been ex- I
ceeding faithful to him. This man he perfuaded to
put him into a Sack, and to place him on his (boul-
ders, as if he was carrying his mafter's baggage, and
by that means convey him to fome place of fecurity.
And as the enemy's army lay round Tenna after the,
Vi(ftory they had gained, in a carelefs ancL^ccurc i^
manner, without porting any guards, or obferving the
leaft order, the German found no great difficulty in
cffeding it. For having put on a futler*s coat, he took
his mailer upon his IhoOlders, as if he had gota
fack full of baggage or plunder, and carried him
through the whole camp fafe to his own army, with-
out any moleftatiori or interruption.

If this Viftory had been improved with the fame
good conduét that it was obtained, Brefcia might
have been efFeftually relieved, and the Venetians have

rcaptd

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gtfok V. OF FLORENCE. 30

reaped greater advantages from if. But for watìt of'
that, the rejoycings of the one were very fliort, and
the other was left in the fame diftrcfsful circumftances*
For as foon as Piccinino had got fafe back again to
his forces, he refolved to go upon ibme new enter-
prize ; the fuccefs of which, might wipe off the dif-
grace of his late defeat, and prevent the Venetians
from throwing any fuccours into Brefcia. He was
well acquainted himfelf with the fituation of the Ci-
tadel of Verona, and had been informed, by fome
prifoners whom he had taken in the beginning of the
war, it was fo cjarelefsly guarded that he might eafily
make himfelf matter of it. He therefore determined
not to. ncgleft an opportunity, which fortune feemed
purpofely to have thrown in his way, of retrieving '
his own honour, and putting an end to the exultations
of the enemy upon their Viftory, by^ a ftroke that
might give them occafion to alter their note. Verona
is in Lombardy, and fituated at. the foot of thofe
Mountains that feparate Italy from Germany^ in fuch
a manner, that one part of it ftands upon the Ikirts
of the Hills, and the other upon the Plain* To the
North of this, in the Valley of Trent, the river
Adige has its fource, and at its entrance, into Italy
does not immediately take a ftrait eourfe along the
plains^ but turning to the left and winding about the
bottom of the Mountains, paffes through that City 5
which it divides* but not into equal parts; for that
next the plain is much larger than the other. Above
the latter are the two Forts of St. Pietro and St. Fe-»
lice^ which feem better fortified by nature than arr^
and Handing upon the heights command the whole
town. On the other fide of the Jliver, in the pare
next the plain, there are alfo two Caftles joined by
the wall of the town, and at the diftance of about a
thoufand paces from each other ; one of them called -
the Oklj and the other the New Citadel From the
former, there runs a wall in a ftrait line to the latter,
. that nray be refembled to the ftring of a bow, which
the wall of the town forms in its range betwixt the

Z 2 twa

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340 THE H I ST Oil Y Botfk^.

two fortrcDTes : and the fpacc betwixt one wail «fkt
the other, commonly calted the Bourg of St. Zenb,
is full of houfes and inhabitants. Tbefe two for-
treflfes and the Bourg, it Was Piccinino's defign to ftir-
prize ; and he thoqght it would be no difficult imit-
ter to cjafeét it, confidering the negligence and fecù-
rity of the Garrifon, which in all -J>robabilicy would
be ftill increafcd by the late Viftory -, atid becaufe he
knew by late experience that no entcrprize was mòte
likely to focceed than one that was judged impraéth-
éable by the enemy. Having» therefore^ drawn out
a picked body of nien for this purpofe, he advaheed
with the Marquis of Mantua in the dead of the night
to the wails of Verona^ and making a fudden Sea-
kdo upon the new Citadel, he carried it almoft be-
fore the enemy knew any thing of the matter. From;
thence he defcended with his men into the town, and
broke open St. Anthony*s Gate, through which he let
in all hb Cavalry. But the Centinels of the old Ci-
ted el hearing the out-crics of thofe that had been fur-
prized in the new one, and the noife that was made
at the breaking down bf St. Anthony's Gate, at laft
perceived the enemy was upon them, and immedi-
ately began to beat their drums and ring the alarne
bells, to raife the people. Upon which, thofe of the
Citizens that were mofl courageous took up arms,
atid ran in great confufion to the Piazza before the
Palace of the Magiftratcs. In the mean time, Pic-
cinino's forces had taken pofleflSon of the Bourg of
St.T^eno, and were pufhing forward into the town»
when the Citizens finding they were the Duke*s troops,,
and that there was no poffibility of defending them-
felves againft them, advifcd the Magiftratcs to retiVc
into the Forts, to ^ve their own lives, and the City
from being plundered ; as it would be much better to
do that, and wait for a change of fortune, than to-
be murdered thcmfelves, and provoke the enemy to
ihew no mercy to the City.

The Magiftrates therefore, and all the itft of the^
Venetians, took (heltcr in the fort of St. Felice j and

fome

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5aDlc V. OV F L O H 15 N C E; 341

fgme of the principal Citizens going to wait upon
Piccinino, and the Marquis of Mantua, intreated
th(?m to receive the City into their hands, rich and
flouriOiing as it then was, which would very much in-
creafc their ipeputation; rather than fuffer it to be
rifled and facked, tq their great infamy and dilgrace :
«fpecialJy as they bad not take^n much pains to obh'ge
their forn>er Mafters, nor deferved to incur the difi
plcafure of their new ones by an obftinatc refiftancc.
Upon this fpbmiflion, they were favourably rejceived
fey Piccinino ai^d the Marquis, who endeavoured to^
reftraio. the licentiou&efs of their foldiers as mujch a$Ì
they could, and prevent the City from being plun-
dered : but as they were certain Coui^t Sforza would
ufe his utmpft endeavours to recover it, they took all
pol&ble means to get the reft of the ftrong places
into their haAds ; and fuch as they could not make!
themfelves maftcrs of, they feparated from the town,
and furroundcd with foflfes and other works, to pre-
vent the enemy from throwing^ fuccours into them^
gnd tbofe that were already there from annoying the
to»rn.

Upon the firft rumour of this lofs, Count Sforza^
who then lay with his army at Tenn^a, could not give
c«dit to it : but when he was convinced of the truth
pf-it, frow more certain intelligence, he determined
to make fpeedy amends for his paft negligence. And
though it was the opinion of all his principal officers,
that he ought to poftpone the relief of Verona and
Brefcia, and march direélly to Vicenza, for fear of
being furrpunded by the enemy, where he was ; yet
he would not liftep to their advice, but refolved ta
wfe 2A\ means for the recovery of Verona: and ad-
^reOlng himfelf, iti the conclufion of the debate
(which had been occafioned by fuch a difference ia
their judgment) to the Venetian ^ Prpveditores, an4
Berxurdetto de' Medici, the Florentine CommifTary,

f A Proveditore is the fame in the Venetian armies« as a Commii^
ipuy in the Florentine*

r Z 3 he

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344 T H E H I S T O R Y ^ Bock V.

he affured them, that he would certainly retake that
town, if any one of the fortrefles there ftiU held out
for him. For this purpofe, having put his army in
good order, he marched with all expedition towards
Verona, At the fight of his vanguard, Piccinino
imagined he had been going to Vicenza, as his offi-
cers had advifed him : however, when he perceived
that he ftill advanced and bent his courfe towards the
fort of St. Felice, he began to prepare for his defence.
But it was too late; for he had not yet finifhed the
barricadoes and entrenchments : and his foldiers be^
ing difperled, and bufy in plundering, could not be
got together to oppofc the Count's forces before they
entered the fort. So that having gained a pafiage
, into the town, they foon retook it, to the great dif-
honour of Piccinino ; who, after moft of his men
were cut to pieces, retired with the reft into the cita»
del, and from thence made his efcape, in company
with the Marquis, to Mantua; where he collefted the
remains of his army, and joined the other part of it
that lay before Brefcia. In this manner Verona was
taken and loft again in the fpace of four 5ays, by the
Duke's forces : and the Count feeing the winter now
approaching, and the feafon very cold, after he had
with much difficulty thrown fome fupplics of provi*
fions into Brefcia, took up his quarters at Verona j
where he gave orders for the building feveral Gallics
at Torboli, during the winter, that fo he might be
ftrong enough to relieve Brefcia more cfFeftually, both
by land and water, when the fpring came on.

The winter having thus put an end to hoftilities
for a while, the Duke, who was aware that he had
been defeated in. his hopes of making himfelf Mafter
of Brefcia and Verona, chiefly by the afliftance which
the enemy had received from the Florentines, whom
neither the ill ufage they had met with from the Vene-
tians could detach from their alliance, nor the ofien
he had tempted them with could gain over to himfelf,
fefolved to invade Tufcany, in order to make therp
ttiQf e fenfible of the eyil^ they were drawing upon

tlicm?

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BookV. O F F L O R E N C E. ^jì

tbenifdv^s. In this defign he was likewife abetted
by the inftigations of Piccinino, and the Florentine
Exiks ; the former of whom, much wanted to get
pofTeiTion of the dates that were held by Braccio, and^
to drive Cpunt Sforza out of la Marca ; and the lat- ^
ter to return to their own Country : both of them
urging fuch motives to prevail upon the Duke, as
feemed moft fpecious, and beft flattered his own am-
bition. Piccinino reprefented to him, " that he
might fend him with an army into Tufcany, and ftill
keep Brefcia blocked up ; as he was mailer of the
L^ke, had fo many Itrong and well garrifoned towns,
rpu.nd about it, and would have both Commanders
and foldiers enough to face the Count, if he ftiould
tnake any further attempts in thofe parts ; whic^i yet
it. could hardly be fuppofed he would do before he
b^d relieved Brefcia, and that he thought was impof-
fible : fo that he might fafely venture to carry the
war into Tufcany, without being obliged to difcon-
' tinue it in Lombardy. For the Florentines, he faid,
muft either recall the Count when they faw their owa
Country invaded, or fufFer it to be totally ruined : in
either of which cafes his advantage would be certain.**,
The Exiles aflured him for their parts, *' that if he
would fend Piccinino with an army to Florence, the
people there, who at laft were become defperate un-
der the oppreflion and infolence of their Governors,
would inftantly take up arms againft them and revolt.
That nothing was more eafy than to march up to the
very gates of the City ; as Rinaldo degli Albizi had
fufficient intereft with the Count of Cafentino to pro-
cure him a free paflage through his territories.*' So
that though the Duke was at firft inclinable enough
to engage in fuch an undertaking, he became tho-
. roughly determined upon it by thefè perfuafions.

The Venetians, on the other hand, were very im-
portunate with the Count to attempt the relief of
Brefcia with all his forces, though the winter was un-
.commonly fevere : but the Count fajd, " it was not
poflible/at that time, and that he muft wait fora
Z 4 ' milder

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5H THE HtàTàRV Foòfe V.

niildfcr fcàfon 5 that hóWeVcr ift thè rttéan whBe, he
^ould bc getting h\é Fleet in readinefs to fuceotnr it
both by land and Wàkeh** At Which artf*cr, the Ve-
tietian^ weiré ihuch diflatisàed, and ^fterWatd^ pro-
ceeded fo flòwly iri making the necèffàry provifions
for their forces, that they began to dwihdle a^ay ^cry
fall. . The Florentine^ alfo, when they had intelligence
of their ehemy*s deflgtis ahd the tardinefs of their
friends, were hot a little alarmed ; cfpecially as they
law the war upon the point of being catried inttì their
own dominions, and that their arms had met with fo
little fuccefs in Lombardy. Nor were they lòfs per-

?lexed with the fufpiclon they entertained of the
'ope*s forces ; riot that they thought his H'olinefs
himfclf was ill-affe6led to them, but becaufe they fàw
his troops under the command and direction of the
f atriarcn, who was their declared enemy, and that
the foldiers Ihewed much greater deference to tiim
than to the Pope.

Giòvahni Vitellefchi da Corneto, having firft been
^Apoilolic Notary, then 6i(hop of Ricanati, and
iiext. Patriarch of Alexandria, was at laft created
Cardinal, with the title of Cardinal of Florence. He
was a fubtile enterprizing man, and had found Means
to infinuatè himfelf into the Pope*s confidence to fucTi
a degree, that he made him Commanded' in chief of
lis forces, and entrufted him with the fole manage*
ment of all his affairs and undertakings in Tufcany,
Romagna, the Kingdom of Naples, and evert at
Jlome : fo that he had gained fuch an afcendant both
over the army and the Pope himfelf, that the one was
afraid to command him, and the other to obey any
one elfe. This Cardinal happened to be at Rome
with his forces, when the report was fpread that Pic-
cinino was meditating an invafion upon Tufcany. A
circUmftance that redoubled the apprehenfions of the
J'lorehtines, as* he liad ever been their enenpy finte

♦ Àn officer wliof^ bafincfi Jt is to d^peditc iJtticfitiatiy taàttert lit
-♦Jl? fcoflrTdf Rotila.

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Book V. O P F L 0 R E N C E. 345

the baniAment of Rinaldo degli Albini ^ beeaufe the^
had not only abufed him in not oblfcrving the agree*
rfient which had been promoted betwixt them at Flo-
rence hj his mediation, but deceived Rinaldo, who
had laid down his arms at his perfuafion, and furnifh*
ed his enemies with the means of fending him int^
exile : ftì that the government began to be afrafd that
Rinaldo and his friends would certainly be reftored
arid indemnified for all their fufferings if they Ihould
join Piccinino in his expedition into Tufcany, And
fi) much the more, as that Commander had fuddenly
departed out of Lombardy, and left one undertaking
that feemed almoft fure to be attended with fucceft,
to go upon another, the event of which muft be very
precarious : which they thought he would not have
done, if he had not had fome fccret defign or invita-
tion. Thcfe fufpicions they communicated to the
JPope, who at laft began to be fenfible of the error
he had been guilty of intrufting too much authority
in the hands of another perfon. But whilft they were
under thefe apprehenfions, an accident happened that
J)ut an end to them.

The government had Spies in all parts that kept a
ftria watch Upon fuch as carried Letters, in order to
deteót any confpiracy that might be formed againft
them : and it chanced that one of thefe intercepted a
Packet at Monte Puiciano, fent from the Patriarch to
Piccinino without the knowledge of the Pope, which
was immediately carried to his Holinefs by the Magi-
ftrate, who had the charge of conducing the war.
And though the letters were written in an unufual
charaifter, and the fenfe of them fo obfcure that they
were difficult to be interpreted with any certainty ;
yet thofe very circumftances, and the holding a cor-
rcfpondence with his enemy, made the Pope fo jea-
ous that he determined to fecure him, and gave a
ftrift charge for that purpofe to Antonio Rido (a Pa-
duan lately made Governor of the Calile of St. An-
gelo at Rome) who readily undertook to execute his
Gràtrs as fooo as he had a convenient opportunity,

which

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34/i , T H E H I S T O Rr Y. Book Y;

which prcfently occurred. For the Patriarch intending
to have gone into Tufcany the next day, fent word to
the Governor of the Caftle, that he dcCred he would,
meet him in the morning at a, certain hour upon the
Bridge, for he had fomething to fay to him before
be left the City : and as Antonio thought this was too
favourable an opportunity to be neglected, (after he
had made a proper difpofition for the execution of his
defign) he went at the hour appointed to the bridge,
which being near the caftle, was fo contrived, that
it might eafily be drawn up or let down, as occaQon
required, for its greater fecurity. He had not waited
long there, before the Patriarch came; and having,
led him by degrees in the courfe of their converfarion
to the other end of the bridge, he made a fignal to
have it drawn up; which being inftantly done, he,
who but the moment before had been General of the
Pope's forces, now became Antonio Rido's prifoner in
the caftle of St, Angelo. His attendants, indeed,
at firft began to raife an out-cry ; but when they were
informed, that what had been done was by the Pope's
orders, they were foon quieted -, and the governor,
to comfort his prifoner in the beft manner he could,
;told him, " he hoped he would come to no further
harm." To which the Patriarch made anfwer, " that
perfons of his rank were feldom arretted, only to be
difcharged again ; and that thofe who deferved to be
imprifoned, did not deferve to be releafed." Not
Jong after his confinement, he died in the caftle ; and
the Pope appointed Ludovico, the Patriarch of Aqui-
leia*. Commander in, chief of his forces. For tho*
his Holineft had been always unwilling before to em-
broil himfelf in the wars betwixt the Duke of Milap
and tbeConfederate^, he now promifcd p affift the

^ • This Lewis (fays Volaterran, lib. xxii.) who was a native of Pa-
dua, having been promoted firft to th« fenatorial dignity, for fervices
done in the field, and afterwards to the Purple, grew fo proud, that,
forgetful of his birth, he was the firft Cardinal who prefumed to keep
horfes and hounds, and to introduce a greater degree of magnificence,
in fcafting, furniture, and equipage, than btccame ttat Order.

latter

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Book V. OF FLORENCE; 347

latter, if Tufcany (hould be invaded, with four thou-
fand horfe and two tboufand foot.

The Florentines, though now delivered from the.
fear of the Patriarch, were yet very fufpicious of Pic^,
dninb's defigns, and fb uneafy at the confufion in
which they faw their affairs in Lombardy (occafioncd
by the difference of opinion betwixt Count Sforza
and the Venetians) that they fent Neri, the Son oC
Gini Capponi, and Giuliano d* Avanzati to Venice, in,
order to reconcile them, if poffible, and to fettle the^
operations of the next campaign ; inftruéling Neri in
particular, to found the rcfolution of the Venetians s
after which, he was to go to the Count, and perfuadc
him to comply with fuch mcafures as fhould appear
moft neceffary for the fecurity of the League. Thefc
Deputies had not got fo far on the road as Ferrara,
when they heard that Piccinino had paffed the Po
with fix thoufand horfe, which made them haften
their journey ; and when they arrived at Venice, they
found the Senate there fully determined to have the
relief of Brefcia attempted without further delay 5
fince that City, they faid, could not otherwife hold
out, for want of provifions, till the return of the
fpring, nor till the gallies were built, but feeing no
hope of fuccour, muft of neceffity be obliged to furV
render to the enemy 5 which would entirely anfwer
the Duke's purpofes, and occafion the lofs of all their
dominions upon the Terra Firma. Upon which.
Neri proceeded to Verona, to hear what the Coun;c
had to fay, in anfwer to this -, who made it fufRciently
appear to him, that any endeavour to relieve Brefcia,
muft not only be ineffcélual at that jundure, but of
great prejudice to their future undertakings : for con-
fidering the time of the year, and the fituation of that
town, no fucccfs could be expeded, and he fhould
only harrafs and fatigue his troops in fuch a manner,
that when a proper feafon for adion came, he muft
be forced to return with his army to Verona, to fup-
ply himfelf with fuch provifions as the winter had
pnfum?d to no purpofe, and other neceffarics for the
: " fcr-

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^^ THE HiaTQiRY' BookW

{emke of the enft^iig fiimnier : ia tkat^ ali: tlia tim^ ^la
ought to be ecnplojoed in aOkm^ would he tbrQ3y».
away m fruidels ma^€he& and ceuntei^inasdies beiwixc
the two lowos.

Te ot^iaie tbefe ol^je&iont^ Qrikt^>.^^iftbiaiù.aiid
Giovanm Fifiinì, were fent to wait up^ tbe Couot
at Veronar; and afitet long debate^ ijc was a& la^
agreed amongft thtm^ i^ the Venetians Itiauid ÌQ-.
^tt^afe theCouofs^ftipend for the next ymji taeigbljCr
thoufand DAicats» beiides an a^loAuaace of forty Ouf-.
eats for every privaoe foUkr : and that he ihould boc
«nly take the field as foon as poflible^ with, his whcfo
mrmfi ^t endeavour to peoecsate into the Duke^
dominions that fo he might be oUigcd to recall Picr
einine into JLombardy tq defend hinofelf ; after which
««reement, the deputies att returned to Venice. But
t^e Venetians finding fome difficuky in raifing fo krge
a fubfidy, proceeded very fl^wly id making the rte-
ceflaiy provifiojis: whilft Piccinino, on the other
hand, diligently purfued his march, and had already
got into Romagna ; where he tampered fii eflgeauajly
with the fons of Panddpha Malate^a ^, that they
deferted the Venctis^ns, and went over to the Duke.
'Tiiia was very unwelconje news at Venice, and paudh
tnore fo at Fioiaence, as they had chiefiy depended
upon the Malatcfti, to obfl:ru<^ the progrefe of Re-
cinino \ but when it came to he known that they had
trevolted, k occafioned gi3€at confternation in the City;
efpeeially as it was likewife apprehended, th^ pietrq-
gian-Paok) Urfini, their commander in chief, who
was then in the territories of the Mal^tefti» muft cer-
tainly be betrayed and defeated ; by which they would
b? in a manner difarmed, and deprived of aU mea^s
of making any defence.

The Count himfelf likewife «^as not a little alarmed
at this event. He was afraid of lofing his poflfeffions
in la Marca, if Piacinino advanced jnto Tufcany :
and being rcfolved to attend more particularly to that

* They w€Pc Lords of Rimini^ a twn upon the Gulph of Venice^
f0hich now belongs to the Pope»

pomt.

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^dokV. OF rLÒHÈWCE. 8^^

pòMit, he tpdk^pcft and 'went to Venice, whtfrc he tm-'
nVediiicefly-ctemandedicntaodi^Me^the Senftte^ which
^berng granted, he repf^fenced ito them how fieceflàry
k W^ for the fcrvice <>f che tieagoc, that hefliould
march ifiih hfe fdrces into Tofcany. « Thit the
itiain ftfcngch of their afwis ought to be diire&ed
ag^inft the enertiy^s C^imttiander in xrbief and the
•place where he had coHédèd his principal force; ^and
not to t)e diOlpated in fmklefs flcirmifbes with Garri-
fòns and attacks upon 'pal'iictrlar towns. That if -tSke
Duke^s afrfHy could ohde be ì^tkmìy there moft be
An end of éhe war; bot If thtft mss fuffered to remain
•entire, the war would ftill be carried on with greater
vigour, evfcn after his fói^feffes were reduced, as nt
lalrftoft always happened in fud» cafes. That^if^Kc-
' cinino Was rtot f eiolutely ^dppofed, both la Marca* and
Tufcany muft inevitiably ^ loft ; -after which, nheir
'^rfl^rs in Lónìbardy would become defpciate. But :
'If there (houkJ beiarty hopes left of retrieving ^them^
ile thought it could not reafoimbly be expcaed that
he Ihould abandon the care 4f his own fubjeétsmnd
fftends; for as he ^as a Prince when he came finta
fliOmbardy, he did not defijgn to ftay there till 4» had
nothing l«ft but the title of a private Comnwnder.**^
To'^^hich the Doge made anfwer, *♦ that if he Wft
'Lombardy, nay,'if he^fliouldonly repafs the Pò with
his àrhiy, all their dotnmlons Upon the TerKa firma
Would moft certainly be loft, and therefore, they
fliOuld ihot throw away any more money to defend them ;
^itWoiitd be finrple to ufc any endeavours to fave
Hvhat could^*ot»péffibly be maintained, and lefs pre-
juditfial «jJ^tthMourable too to lofe th(rfe territories^
only, tfetó*o lofe both them and their money toge*
^ther. And4f that (houW be the Cafe, it would then
plainly appear, though perhaps too late, of what im-
^jwoì^tàncé the prdefvatibn of the Venetian dominions
4fith6fc|>art8, would have been for the protection lof
^Uftàny and Romagna. Upon which account, they
irould not by ^ny means approve of the meafures he
Recommended, fince they very wcU knew whbfoever

was

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;35^ THE HISTORY Book^.

was matter in Lombardy would be matter every where
elfe : and in that there could not be much difficulty^
for now Piccinino had withdrawn his forces out of it,
the Duke's dominions were left fo expofed that they
might be wholly over- run before that Commander
could poffibly return, or any other remedy be pro-
videdé That if any one would maturely confider the
matter, he would find that the Duke had fent Picci-
nino into Tufcany with no other view but to divert
the Count from his prefent undertaking, and to re-
move the War out of his own Country into another.

. So that if the Count fhould follow him, before there
was any abfolute neceffity for it, he would fall into
the fnare, and fuffer him to gain his ends : but if they
ftill kept their forces in Lombardy, and made the
heft provifion they could in Tufcany, he mutt foon
be aware of his error, and find thaf he had entirely
loft every thing in one, and gained nothing in the

. other." After the matter had been thoroughly dif-
cuffed, and every one had given his opinion, it was

; concluded to wait a little while to fee what effeéts the
new alliance betwixt Piccinino and the Malatefti would
produce ; what Pietro-gian-Paolo Urfini, the Floren-
tine General, would be able to do ; and whether the
Pope really defigned to perform the promifcs he had
made to the League. A few days after this refolu-
tion, they had intelligence that the Malatefti had en-
tered into that alliance by downright compulfion, and
not out of any'difaffeftion or ill will to the Floren-
tines ; that Urfini was gone with his forces towards
Tufcany ; and that the Pope was better inclined to
affift the confederates than ever he bad been befoi^.
Upon which, the Count was fo well fatisfied^ that he
confentcd to ftay in Lombardy, and that Neri Cap-
poni (hould return to Florence with a thoufand of his
horfe artd five hundred others. That if affairs fhould
take fuch a turn as to make his preferice neceflary in
Tufcany, they fliould let him know, and he would
immediately repair thither. Neri therefore proceeded
with thofe forces towards Florence, and arrived there

m

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éook f. Ò I^ F LO R E N C É. |5Ìr

in Aprii, on the fame day that Urfini likewifc return*
ed to that City,

In the mean time. Piccinino having made all ne-
ceflary dilpofitions in Romagna, defigned to have
proceeded in his march to Tufcany over the Moun*
tains of St. Benedetto and through the Vale of Mon-
tone, but he found thofe defiles fo well guarded by
Niccolo da Pifa, that any attempt to force a paflagc
that way muft be to no purpofe. And fince this in-
vafion was fo fudden, and the Florentines were btrt
ill provided with Officers and Soldiers, they had fent
pnly a few companies of new raifed foot to defend
the other pafles in thofe Mountains, under the com-
mand of jTome of their own Citizens : amongft whom
was Mefler Bartolomeo Orlandini, who had the charge
of defending a Fort at Marradi, which fecured the
paffage that way. The pafs at St. Benedetto there-
fore, being fo bravely maintained that Piccinino had
no hopes of fucceeding there, he determined to try
'what might be done at Marradi, where he knew the
Commander was not a man of any great courage.
Marradi is a fort fituated at the foot of thofe Moun-
tains that feparate Tufcany from Romagna, but on
that fide of them which lies next to the latter, and
at the entrance of the Vale of Lamona. And tho*
it has no walls, it is otherwife pretty well fortified
by a river that runs clofe to it, as well as by the
Mountains and the valour of the inhabitants, who
are very courageous and faithful : for the bankà of
the river are fo high above the water, that it is im-
poffible to get that way into the Vale, provided^ a
little Bridge that ftands over the river be well de-
fended : and on the other fide the rocks are fo fteep
and craggy that it is inaccefl>ble. But the cowardice
of Orlandini ftruck a panic into his men and made
the, fituation of no fignificance : for he no fooner
heard of the enemy's approach but he quitted the
place and ran away as faft as he could wrth all his
men, and never flopped till he calne to the Bourg of
' St. Lorenzo. Piccinino at.his arrival was nota little
* fur-

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|5l tttE ttlStOftr BookV.

furprized to find a pafs of uuix importance (b mcsLtiij
abandoned, and overjoyed that he had got poflefl^D
of iu For he immediately marched damn imo die
Vale of Mugello» where he feized upon federal Ca£-
tlest and at laft took up his quarters at Pulidano ji
£-om whence he made incurfions into the neighbour^
ifi^ territories, as far as the Mountains of i'iefole^
and grew fo bold at laiEt, that he pafied the Arno^
{plundering and ravaging all the Country ,till he cacn^
within three miles of Floroice.

The Florentines however were not at all diimayi^d
ttt thefe proceedings, but in the firft place began xq
itrengthen the hands of the Government, which ^
fiood upon a pretty good bottom, confidering the
popularity that Cofimo de' Medici had gained by his
jMnevolence, and that the fupreme'Magiftracy wgns
vefted.in a very few of the principal Ci(izen3, whp
kept a Arid: hand upon fuch as they tho\)ght dif-
.affe£ked or defirpus of a change. They knew that
I>Ieri Capponi was bringing back with him ^ good
body of horfe, and depended upon the Pope's afiift-
ance; the hopes of which kept up their Spirits tiU
<^he return of Neri : who at his arrival, finding the
'City under fome ^pprehenfion, refolved to t^e tkt
(field, in order to check Piccinino's career and prevent
him from making fuch terrible devaftation in the
Country. For this purpofo, having raifed. what num-
ber of foot he could in the City to join his horfe, he
marched out and retook Remole, which the Duke^s
forces had got poffeffion of: after which, he en-
camped near that plac^, and fent the Citizens word^
that he had already put an end to the enemy's àjs^
^predations, and hoped in a fhort time to drive hiitt
entirely out of their territories. But Piccinii» find-
ing, that every thing was quiet at Florence, ^d no*
body offered to raife any commotion there^ (as he ex-
pefted) thoji^gh there were now no forces l^ft in the
city to over-awe them, determined not to throw away
his time ta no purpofe, but to go upon fome other
.Widcrtaking that might proyoke the Florentine u-oqps^

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Book V. O F F L O R E N e E* 353' .

to follow him, and give him an opportunity of com-
ing to an engagement with them, in which he made
no doubt of routing thcm^ and then he thought he
ihould be able to carry every thing before him*

Francifco Count of Poppi (though he entered into
the League with the Florentines) had revolted from
them when ' the enemy penetrated into the vale of
Mugello, and was at that time with Piccinino's army*
And as the Florentines had always fome fufpicion of
his fincerity from the firft, they endeavoured to at*
tach him more firrnly to their intereft by augment*
iijg his ftipeml, and making him intendane over all
their towns that lay near him. Yet (fuch is the pre-
valence of party fpirit in fome men) neither the
fenfe of paft favoijrs nor the apprehenfion of future
ganger, could make him forget his connexions with
Rinaldo degli Albizi, and thofe that had formerly
been his aflociates in the government of Florence*
So that as foon as he heard of Piccinino's approach,
he not only went and joined him immediately, butt
advifed him to leave the neighbourhood of Florence^-
^nd march towards Cafentino ; acquainting him with
the faftnefles of that Country, and r^sprefenting to
him, with how much eafe and fecurity to himfelf, he
might from thence niore efFedlually harrafs and dif-
trefs the enemy. Piccinino followed this advice, and
advancing into the territory of Cafentino> firft took
Romena and Bibiena, and then laid fiege to the Caftle
of St. Niccolo. This Caftle ftands upon the Ikirts
of the Mountains that divide the State of Cafentino
from the Vale of Arno ; and as it was fituated upon
an -eminence and well garrifoned, it was riot eafily
reduced, though he battered it day and night with
fuch engines and * artillery as he had. This Siege

• The original fays, OMcora the Nùcolà eontinuamekte cdn hriccoie è
Jtmile artigtierie 4o combatteffe. Macfoiavel fays, in the latter end of
. the firft book of this hiftory, that great guns were firft ufed in the
Wars that happened betwixt the Venetians and the Genoefé> about
the ifland of Tencdos, in the year 1376, or thereabout. But we
4lon*t find the leaft notice taken of them in any of the field engage^

, Vol., I. h\ had

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354 THEHISTORX Book 14

bad lafted twenty days ; doring which time, the Flo-
rentioes alTembled more forces, having got together
about three thou&nd horie at Fegghine, and taken
fevcral other Officers into their pay under the com^
mand of Urfini their General, Neri Capponi, and -f-
Bcrnardo de* Medici their CommifFarics. At thac
place they received intelligence of the diftrefs to
which the Caftle was reduced, by four different Mef-
fcngers who were fent from thence to dcfire imme'^
^ diate relief. But the Cgnimifiaries having recoil-'
noitred the Country, found k impoffibfe to fend the
Befieged relief any other way than over the Moun-
tains that extend themfelves from the Vale of Arno 9
the heights of which, perhaps, might be occopkd
by the enemy before the fuccouw, could ^t thither^
as they were fo much further from them, and could
not conceal their march : fo that there was no hope
of fuceeeding in fuch an attempt^ and their army
muft òtherwife be entirely ruined by it. They fcM
the Meflcngers back again therefore to the befieged
with hi^ Gommendations of their fidelity, and in-
fl:ru4^ions to capitulate when tliey found they could
defend them&l ves no longer. .

After a fiege of two and thirty days. Piccinino ai
laft took the Caftle; but he loft fo nauch time in
making fuch a trifling acqui(ttion that it was in a
great meafurc the ruin of his main defign : for if he

ineitts or ileges that have hitherto been meatidned m this hiilory, aoj
it is much to be queftioned, whether they were ufed in the (fege of
this caftle. For Brocctflf, which is a very old word, does not figwHy
cannon^ but other warlike engines, or torpmt^ beUie^i, the arb^i^ra^
the catapultai the balijia, and other machines of that kind, to batter
and throw great ftones and darts. Nor is. the word anillery coitfined
to great guns done, but is often ufed to fignify other ms^ihinoe sind
weapons of war. Thus, i Satiu xx. 40. Jonathan ga^ve his artiìUry tf
the fad, and /aid unto him, go carrjh them into the city ^ where arroivs are
plainly meant. The fame (calaju) occurs again, a Sam, i. 27. but is
differently tranflated. Ho^v are the mighty f&Ujm^ and the mfeapons of
nvar perijbed I . or loft. That is, the arms and armour, which had beeii;
taken from Saul and his fons, and placed as trophies in the temple of
A/htarothi after they were (lain by the Philiftines. . The Septuagiiit ifr
both place? fays, r*9nivn moXtfjuna, military apparatus.

t The author fometimcft call» him Bcrnacdo^ and fometimes Beri.
nardiàto de* Medici* '

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Book V. O F P L O R E N C É. S55

hdd continued nearef Florence with his army, the
Governors of the City would have found much
greattr difficulty- in railing money and forces and
making other neceffary proviQons, ivhilft the enemy
was in a manner at their gates^ than they did after
he had retired : and many of the drfaffcftcd party
would have inclined to fome accomttkòdation with
Piccinino, to prevent the expences of a war, which
th€?y faw was not Rkely to be loon ended. But the
Ufvpmtncc of Count Poppi to be revenged of the go-
vernots of thofe fortrèflé», with whom he had long
b«n ftt entfjity, induced him to advife thofò mea>*
ibre&i Kftd Ficcinino took them to gratify him ^
whiéh proved the deftru^tion of them both in the end.
And iiukred it generally happens that private interefts
ftftd pttffions are highly ptejudieial to pubiit under-^;
takittgs* ^

Pfccinkio p^rftiiflg his ftfccefs, took Raffina and
Cj^fi; in the neighbourhood of which, Count
Poppi perfuddéd him to fix his quarters, as he might
€*!cnd his- fotcts from thence to Caprefe, and from .
Càptefé to Pieve-, by which he would become mafter
of 4tt i!he pftflfcs^ rrt «he? mountains, and might then
ffiake inctttfions a< his pleafure into the territories of
G^cmitiOi riid vale* of Arno, Chiana, and Tevere,
iktìé be ready to attack the enemy, if they Ihould
ffftt to todw. But Pfccinmo* confidering the rough-
tieik and barrènnefs of thofe parts, told hinn, his horfe^^
émtd fiùì eaf Jfones •, ai^d proceeding to the Bourg of
Se. S^tefewy, where he was received as » friend, he
^n bega* te* tr^a* at é diftance with ihe people of
Càftd*o, to fee if he could corrupt them ; but they
ww« to6^ firmly jittfaehed to the Florentines to be
moved hf Hia^ ofierS. However, as he was defirous
W engage^ the Perugians in Iris interefts, he went to
Pl^rugia» with forty h^ffe, where he was honourably
Itc^ivast pvt accotfftt of his being their fellow- citizen*
Stìl they foort began* to look upon him with a fuf-
fkkfmey&f y^ìtetì they faw Wm tampering with the
negate tft^ré,- afìd foffjo other Citizens, to whom he
^ A a 2 made

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SS6 THÈ HISTORY Book V;

made feveral propofals ; all which being rejefted, he
returned to his army with a prefent of eight thoufand
ducats, which they had made him. After th4s» he
formed a defign of taking Cortona from the Floren*
tines, by a confpiracy, in which he had engaged forne
of the inhabitants : but this alfo mifcarried, as it was
difcovered in good time. For the evening before ic
was to have been put in execution» Bartolomeo di
Senfo, one of the principal Citizens, going to mount
guard by the Governor's order, at one of the gates
of the town, was warned by a friend not to go thi-
ther, except he had a mind to be flain : and upon
aiking what his friend meant by that advice, be was
informed of the whole affair, and invmediately poov-
municated it to the Governor. But the GoveriKM:
having fecured the chief confpirators, and doubled
the guards at that gate, waited there for the arrival
of Piccinino : ^ho, according to agreement, canie at
a certain hour in the night : but finding his defiga
was blown, he returned to his former quarters.

Whilfl: things were thus circumftanced in Tuicany,
where the Duke's arms made but a feeble progrefs^
his affairs in Lombardy were ina ftill worfe fituatÌoD«
For Count Sforza had begun the Campaign there as
foon as ever the feafon permitted him : and the Ve«
netians having got a new fleet in readinef^, be de-
termined in the firft place to make himfelf mafter of
the Lake di Garda, and to drive the Duke's forces
entirely away from it ; imagining when he had done
that, he fliould eafily fucceed in his other defigns*
JFor this purpofe, he attacked t|iem with his gallies,
and not only defeated them, but took the caftles they
had got polifeffion of: and the reft of the Duke's
army, which inveded Brefcia by land, hearing of this
overthrow, immediately raifed the fiege, and left that
City at large» after it had been blocked up three
years. Upon this fuccefs, the Count marched after
the enemy, who had retreated to Soncino, a caftle
Upon the river Ogliov from whence he diflodged
them, and obliged chem to redrc to Cremonai where

^ they,

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fioca V. O F ^F L O R E N C e; 357

they made a ftand, and refolved tò defend that part of
^be Country. But as the Count now diftreffed the
Duke more and more every day, he began to be afraiid
rflofing fame part of his dominion* at leaft, if not all :
and being fenfible of the error he had committed in
fending Piccinino into Tufcany, he refolvcd to re-
medy it if he eould, as foon as poflible -, for which
purpofe, be wrote to acquaint him in what condition
his affairs were; ordering him to quit Tufcany im-
mediately, whatever progrcfs he might have there,
and return into Lombardy.

The Florentines in the mean time having colleéled
«11 their forces under their Commiffaries, were joined
by thofe of the Pope at Anghiari, a Caftle at the
loot of the mountains which part the Va!e of Tc-
-vere from that of Chiana, about four miles from the
JBourg of St. Sepulchro. The Country round about
-was plain and even, and the fields large and fit for
horfe to aft in, if they Ihould come to an engage-
ment. But as the Commiffaries had heard of the ad-
. vantages which Count Sforza had gained, and that
Piccinmo was recalled, they were in hopes of putting
an end to the war without drawing the fword or any
further trouble v and therefore fent them orders to
^void an engagement by all means, fince that Com-
mander c-ould not ftay many days longer in Tufcany.
Piccinino having intelligence of thefe orders, and
•finding hinifelf obliged to leave the Country, refolved
to make his utmoft efforts at the laft, and to give
them battle-, hoping to take them unprepared, as it
-was not thetr intention to fight hitn. To this, he
was likewife earneftly perfuaded by Rinaldo degli Al-
' bizi. Count Poppi, and the reft of the Florentine
exiles, who faw they (hould have no hopes after Pic-
cinino abandoned them ; but that if they came to an
- aftion, they projfcibly might gain a Victory and fuc-
ceed in their wiifties ; and if they loft the day, they
•fliould not be in worfe <:ircumftance3 than rhey were
before^

A a 3 With

/

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35t T H E » I S T O R Y Bécdc V*

With this rcfolution, be ©lovcd with bis fbrecs

from thp place where he then jay» which was be-?

twixt C^llo and the Bourg^ 9n4 arriving at the laCr

ter bpfprc the enemy had any notice of it, he drew

fwo thoufand men out of that town, who, ct^Bcfif^

in the valour of their General, a^ allured by the

promifes he made them, fo11ow.6d him in hfxp^s of

enriching themfplves wHh plunder. From tbciice he

proceeded with hisi army in prder of battle dlreólly

towards Anghiari, an,d had advanced within lefs than

two miles of that place : when Miehcletto Attendalo

perceiving a great cloud pf duft raifed at a d^nce,

fufpeSied the enemy was approaching, and imm^

diatcly gave th^ alarm. Great was the eonfofe^ m

the Florentine Gamp upon this occafion.. For though

indeed very little order or difcipline was ever ob^

fcrved by armies in th^ir enqampttients in thofe days»

yet the fi^inencfs of the Florentines was at this time

greater than ordinary :. and as they thought tte enemy

Jiad been not only at a much greater diftance, hue

rather inclined to retreat than hazard an engagement,

moft of them h^d laid afide their arms and ftraggled

^way to places at a diftance from the Camp, either

,to enjoy the (hade (as the weather was then very hot)

or indulge themfclves in fome other pleafure. Yet

fuch was the diligence pf the Commiflaries and tte

General in getting them together, that they were all

mounted and ready drawn up to receive the enemy

before they arrived. And as Atcendulo was the firft

that difcovercd them, he likewife fuftained their firft

Ihock ; having potted himfclf with the men under

.his Conjimand on a Bridge that lay upon the road at

a little diftance from Anghiari, . Upon the approach

pf the enemy, Urfini had caufed the banks and

ditches to be levelled, which lay on each fide of the

way betwixt Anghiari and the Bridge ; and Attcn*

dulo having taken poflTeffion of the Bridge itfclf, the

Cavalry were placed to the right of him, under Si-

moncino Commander of the Forces of the Church,

and the Pope's Legate 5 and to the left, under the

Flo-

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Book V. O F F L O R E N C E. 2Ìf

Florentine Commiflkrics and tbclr General Urfini ;
the Infantry extending themfclves on each hand along
the banks of the River. The enemy therefore, ha^
no way to come at them but over the Bridge; nor
could the Florent'mes be forced to engage in any
other place. Upon which account they ordered their
foot to ply that of the enemy ' brifkly with their
Crofs-bows, if they {hould quit the high ro^ aad
dWl to the right and left of their own gens d'armes ; ,
that fo they might be prevented from taking their
iiorfe in flank, as they paflcd or repalTed the Bridge
Thofc that made th« firft attack were bravely rc^
ccived and repuHcd by Attendulo : but Aftorre and
Francifco Piccinino * advancing to their relief with
là picked body of men, charged him fo furiouffy, '
that they obliged him to quit the Bridge, and pyr-
fwed him to the bottom of the hill upon which Ang*-
hiari ftands, from whence they were driven back an^
forced over the Bridge again by the Infantry that
jatt^cked them in flank. The difpute lafl:ed in this
'manner for the fpace of two hours ; during which,
•fometimes Piccinino*s forces, and fometimes the Flo*
rentines were Mailers of the Bridge. And though
'the fuccels of each party was nearly the fame upon
the Bridge, yet Piccinino had much the worfl: of it
on both fides of the River. For whenever his forces
poflcfled the Bridge, they found thofe of the enemy
well drawn up and ready to a£t as occafion required;
(an advantage that was gained by the precaution
they had talicn to level the banks and ditches on
their fide) fo that when any of their men were hard
puihcd and began to faint, they were immediately
relieved by a frefh party. On the other hand, when
the Florentines paflcd it, Piccinino was fo cmbarraflTed
with the banks and ditches on his fide, that he
found it very difficult to relieve his troops: arid
though they often gained the Bridge, they were con*
^ ftantly driven back again by the enemy. The Flo-

• He was fon to the General, Niccolo Piccinino. , :

f A a 4 rentines

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^5o THE HISTORY Book V:

Tentincs therefore having once more got pofiefCon of
it, and pulhing forward into the road oh the other
fide with great fury. Piccinino found himfelf ftraic-
cned in fuch a manner by his fituation, that he had
neither time nor room to fuccour his men that were
giving way : fo that thofe who were in the front re*
coiling upon «the rear, his whole army was thrown
into fuch confufion, that they at laft turned their
backs and fled with the utmoft precipitation towards
the Bourg of St.' Sepulchre, Upon which, the FlO'-
rentine Soldiers, inftead of purfuing them, began to
plunder and (trip the prifoners they had taken, of
their horfes, arms and accoutrements, and what elfc
they had : and indeed the booty was not inconfider-
able : for there were not quite a thoufand horfe that
cfcaped with Piccinino. And the inhabitants of St.
Sepulchro who had followed him for the fake of
plunder, being all taken, with the lofs of their bag-
gage and colours, were not only ftripped themfelve»,
but afterwards forced to pay a ranfoni for their li-
berty. This Viftory was of great confcquence to
the Florentines, though not very prejudicial to the
Puke's affairs : for if tbey had loft the day, all Tuf-
cany mud have fallen into his bands. But as bis
forces were routed, he loft nothing but their arms
and horfes -, a damage that might be repaired at no
confiderablc expence. Indeed it never happened that
invafions were .made with lefs danger and flaughter
on the fide of the invaders, than in thcfe times : for
in a battle that lafted four hours, and in fo total an
overthrow, there was but one man killed ; and he too,
not by the edge of the fword, or in any honourable
attempt, but by a fall from his horfe to the ground,
where he was trampled to death in the roi^t. With
fo much fecurity did they make war in thofe days!
for moft of the foldiers being mounted on horfcback
and covered with armour, had but little occafion to
fear death in any engagement : and if they were de-
feated and furrendered;^ they commonly had their
iivfs fparcdt

This

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Book V. O F F L O R E N C e; gUt

This battle, and what immediately happened after
it, may lerve to Ihew the weak and pitiful manner in
^vhich they made war in thofc times. For as foon as
Piccinino was routed and had fied to St. Sepulchro»
the Commiffarics, to make their Vidory complete,
intended to have purfued and (hut him up there : bue
there was not fo much as one of their ofBcers, nor
even aprivate foldicr that would follow them, till
they had laid up their plunder in fome place of fecu*
rity, and got cured of the wounds they pretended to
have received. And, which was ftiU more remark-
able and audacious, they went off the next day,
openly in a body, and without alking any leave either
from their Commiffaries or General, to Arezzo;, from
whence, after they had fecured their booty, they re-
turned to Anghiari. A manner of proceeding fo con-
trary to all military rule and order, that the fmalleft
remnant of a well-difciplincd army, would eafily and
defervedly have recovered a Viétory out of their hands
which they fo little merited. Nay they prefcntly re-
lealed all the gensd^ armes or heavy armed horfe they
had taken prisoners, in fpite of the Commiffaries
who would have had them detained in order to de-
prive Piccinino of their fervice. Certainly it muft
fecm aitonifliing that fuch an army fliould ever gaia
a Viftory, and ftill more fo, that another (hould be
found vile and daftardly enough to be beatcii by fo
contemptible an enemy.

Whilll tljiey were thus taken up in going to Arezzo
and back again. Piccinino marched away with the re-
mainder of his forces from St. Sepulchro towards Ro-
magna and took the Florentine exiles along with
him, who now falling into defpair of ever returning
to their own Country, difperfed themfelves into dif-
ferent parts of Italy and other States, every man pro-
viding for himfelf as well as he could. Rinaldo degli
Albizi retired to Ancona; and having lofl: all hopes
' in this world, he went a pilgrimage to the Holy Sepul-
chre, in order to prepare himfelf for a better. Sooa
pfter his return from thence he died fuddenly at din-

fter.

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^i THE HISTORY Bex* V,

ner, whilft he was celebrating the msrciage of one of
his daoghcers : fortune ieeming favourable to htm ia
tkia-at kail, that he was taken away io one of the
Jiappieft dajps of his ^ile. He was a man truly rcf-
fC&Mt in all the different cooditions of his life, and
would have been fiiil more fo, if he had been born
in an united City : for many of his good quahties
iw^hich excited envy and jealoufy ainongft his feHow-
citizens in a factious Comnoonweakh, would imro
bctn admired and rewarded any where elfe.
- After the departure of Piccinino and the return of
the Florentine forces from Arezzo, the CommiiTaries
advanced with them to. St. Sepulcbro, the inhabitants
of which place offered to furrender to them, but up-
tm terms that they did not think fit to grant* And
•whilft they were yet in treaty, the Pope's Legate * be-
gvrming to grow fufpiciotis that the Florentines were
not willing that town fhould revert into the hands of
the Church, was fo enraged, that very high words
palled betwixt him and the Commiflaries ; and the
iroops commanded by each would certainly have come
to blows if the treaty had continued much longer :
tut that being ended at laft to the fatisfaftion of the
Legate, their differences were compofed. Whilft
thcfe things were in agitation, chey had intelligence
from feme quarters that Piccinino was marching to-
wards Rome, and from others that he was gone into
la Marca d' Ancona. Upon which, the Legate de-
termined that Count Sfbrza's troops fhould advance
towards Perugia, in order to relieve either La Marca,
or Rome, T:o which foever of the two he had bent
his courfe, and that Bernardo de' Medici fhould go
along with them ; whilft Neri Capponi went with the
Florentine forces, to reduce Cafentino. Upon this
f^efolucion, Ned marched away for Raifina, which he
prefently took ; and foon after, Bibiena, Prato Vec-
chio, and Romena : after which, he fat down before
Poppi, and made proper difpofitions ù>r two diflSn-eot

• Picciamo tb< Patriarch Qf Aq^uU^a hcfoft. ftì99ti<^^*

afTaulcs

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Book V. O P F L O R E N G E. |«|

Àfitults tipon ém tomi at the (a^me tii^e ; oftt on the
fide àact looks towards tHo plain of Oertomonéo |
and che other ftwn the Itiil that extends Meff from
thence to Frooizoli. Count Poppi feeing bimlelf fk>w
abandoned and deftknte of all fuccoiar, had Aot him-
felf up there ; iK)t in hopes of any ftiicf, hm to gain
time and make the beft terms he could fyf hldmlf.
So chat when N<ri drew ciofe to the ftOMm to make aH
afiault, he demanded a parley, and had as good termi
granted him as he could pofiibly «xpeét in bfe cfr-
cumftances -, ivhich were, that^he fcoold be fijffered
to depart himfclf widi his chMdren, and what cCeAs
they could carry with them, aftd kiunediatdy delivef
up the poife:ffion of the town aod all his other demi*
nions to the Florentines. During the capitulatkm he
came out upon the bridge over the Arno which runs
clofe by the town, and with tears in his eyes thus
addrcffed himfetf to Neri. ** tf I had rightly confi-
dered my own fiiuation and the power of your Mailers,
I (hould now have come out as a friend to congra-
tulate you upon your late Viékory, ;and* not as a van-
quilhcd enemy to implore your pity in tliefc un-
happy ctrcumftances. Fortvme indeed has given you
fufficient reafon to rejoice, and nne to weep and kn
ment my wretchednefs. " Ì lately had horfes, and arms,
fubje&s and dominions and riches ; and who can won*
der that it grieves me to lofe them ? But fince your
Republic ieems determined, and now has h in its
power, to reduce all Tufcany Into fubjeftion, ^e for
0ur parts fliall obey you : and it is fonie confolation
to me; that if I had not been guilty ef this error,
neither your generofity nor my future gratitude might
perhaps have appeared in fo fair a light to the world.
For if you jQiall be pieafe<i to leave me ftill in pof-
fefTion of my dominions, it will be an illirftrious and
indelibk inftance of your clemency. My impru-
dence indeed has been great, but I fubmit to your
mercy and compaffion, not without hopes that you
will ftill fuffer me to enjoy this place of refidence at
leaft, which has defcended to me from Ancellors to

whom

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'3^4 T H E H I S T O R Y Book V.

whom your Republic has formerly lam under many
and great obligations*.** To this Neri made an-
fwer, " that the having placed his confidence in peo-
ple that were never likely to do him any fervice,
and being by that means in fome meàfure the caufe
of the infults offered to the Republic of Florence ;
thefeconfiderations, added to the circumftances of the
times» necelferily obliged them to deprive him of his
dominions, and to turn him out of thofe places as
an enemy, which he might ftill have enjoyed if he
had behaved himfclf like a friend. That his con-
duft had been fuch as would not allow them to let
him continue any longer in poffeflion of a territory
that gave him an opportunity of fnfulting a Repub-
lic upon any little change of fortune, which indeed
had no occafion to ftand in fear of his perfon, though
his dominions were fo fituated that he might open a
way at any time through them for an enemy to annoy
it. But that if he thought he could by any means
obtain another Principality in Germany, he was at
liberty to withdraw thither, and the Republic de-
fired he would do it ; where they (hould not fail to
ihew him all manner of refpedt, in confideration of
the favours which he faid the Florentines had received
from his Anccftors." The Count replied with great
indignation, ** that he would endeavour to get as far
as poifible from them ;'* and finding there was no
good tiO be done by intrcaties and fupplications, im-
mediately broke off all further treaty, and giving up
the town and his other poffeffions, except his per-
fonal effe<fls, he quitted it with his wife and children,
bitterly lamenting his folly and the lofs of a State
which his family had governed above four hundred
years. When the news of this fuccefs arrived at Flo-
rence, it occafioned very great rejoicings both amongft
the People and the Magiftrates- And as Bernardo
de* Medici found that Piccinino had neither advanced

♦ This fpeech is almoft wholly taken Ixomjth^t of Caradacus m
the izth boo^ of Tacitus's Annals,

to-

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Book V. O F. F L O R E N C £• ^5^

towards Rome nor la Marca, as bad been falfely rt*
ported, he marched back again with his forces to
rejoin thofe under the command pf Neri Capponi ;
and both of ihem returning together to Florence, it
vras decreed that they fhould be received with the
higheft demonftrations of honour and refped that
had ever been fhewn to any of their victorious Gene-
rals : and they accordingly made their entrance into
the City^amidft the putdic accbmations of die Si^-«
niory, the Captains of the Oiifipani^0, andaa their
fellow- citizens*

END OF THE FIFTH boor:;

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' !X H «' •

HI à T O R Y

Ft OR E N C E.

BOOK VL

ARGUMENT.

Whatts^ or ought to hi^ the chief defign of thofe that
make war. ^he bounds tbeyjbould prefcribe to them-
felves. Horn the ancient Republics ufed to difpofe of
the booty taken from their enemies. The error of mo-
dern go^wmfms'mJkatfe^p^^ fie Dmkg of Milan
fropofes a peac^ to Count Sforza. The Counfs anfwer
to hifn. The ingratitude of the Venetians to Oftafio da
Polenta. ACcbeletto Attendali made General of the
League. Sforza reduced to great dijirefs by Piccinino,
ftbe infolence of the latter to^tbe Duke of Milan. The
Count marries the Duke^s natural daughter. A peace
concluded. Naples taken by Alphonfo of Afragon.
Baldaccio ^ Anghiarij General of the Florentine foot^
an able and experienced Commander^ vilely affajjinated
by Bartolomeo Orlandini^ a coward and poltroon. A
reformation in the government of Florence. Piccimno
difappointed of a certain viSory by the Duke of Mlan^
and otherwife ill ufed by bim^ dies of grief The Benti-
vogli and Cannefchiy two powerful families in Bologna.
The latter raife an infurreSlion there in favour of the
* Pnktof Milany and kill Annibal Bentivoglio^ the bead
if that family \ but are quelled and driven out of the

City.

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Book VL O F F LO R E N C E* s«^

Cky* SmU, a baftard Son of HertMks Bentivoglio^
ieing made Gcvermr ^ Bologna^ nnd $f Jnmhd*s
ebildren, gcmi^ns with gnat frudence. A ne^ war in
Lombardy. Cmnt Sforza ccm'ted by all partis TJbt
éeaib of Pope Et^enius IV. wbo is fmeeeded by Ni-
cholas V. Tbe Duke of MUan dies. The Count in
defperafe Circumftances. The Milantfe make him C^m^
mander in Chief of their forces. The Venetiam afpire
to the Duchy of Mian. King A^iorfo invades tbe
Florentines. A mutiny among fi the forces of the latter
/ir want of prov^ons. King Alphonfo retreats out of
Tafcany^ after he had loft many of his men. A battle
betxvist tbe'Cmmt and the Venetians at Caravaggio^ . in
which the latter are totdly defeated. Tbe gen^ofity of
the Count to a Venetian Fro/veditore^ iiobone be bad
taken prifoner. A peace concluded betim^^ bim and tbe
Venetians. He deferts tbe Milanefe. The Speech of
their Ambaffador to htm. His anfwer. He laysjiege
to Mlan^ n$akes a true e ^ and drams off bis amty \ bi^
returns at tbe expiration of the truce ^ and reducer tbe
City to great diftrefs. Cofimo de* Medici befrimie bim
in his undertaking. The Venetians c^ft the MUaxefe^
Count Sforza enters MOany attd is made Duh therecfi
by tbe general confent ef tbe Citizens: He ^gages in
a confederacy with tbe Florentines v and the Kp^ (^
Naples with the Venetians. The latter fend Amèaf*
fadors to Florence. Tbe an^er of tbe Florentines ta
tienty delivered by Cofimo de" Medici. The Florentines
prepare for tffar. Fredmc III. Emperor c^ Germany^
comes to Fkrence^ and proceeds to Rome^ where he is
croumed. Tufcany iwaded by King Alphonfo^ s fattesè
Stephen Porcari^ a Roman Citizen, conges ta ieiiven
his dmntry out of tbe bands of the Pope end the Pre*
. lates : but fails in the attempt^ and is put to death :
The Vale of Magno^ by the perfidy of Gambatorta^ is
ttpon the point of being ddivered up to King Aiphomfo,
but prevented by tbe bravery sf Antow Gualdani^
The Florentines take poffeffion cf itj and reduce it to a
Baitimck. The fate of Gan^aeorta. Tbe Fhremtines
and Duke of Milan, invite M^gnier of Anjm^ intao

Italy.

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S« THE HISTORY Book VL

Italy. He comes with fuppUes^ but foon leaves them
and returns ta France ; from whence he fends his fon^
John of Anjou^ to Florence. Peace betwixt the Duke
and the Venetians^ Florentines^ and other States. Al^
pbonfo accedes to it^ New troubles raifed by Giacopó
Piccinino^ privately encouraged by Alphonfoé Pepe
Calixttts III. endeavours to ratfe a Crufade againft the
Turks. A prodigious tempeft in Tujcany, The Ge-
noefe invaded by Alphonfo. They put themfelves under
the prot eSion of John of Anjou,- King Alphonfo dies
and is fucceeded by his Son Ferdinand. Calixius dies^
and Pius II. is cbofen Pope in his room. The Genoefi
revolt from the French. The Kingdom of Naples in--
vaded by John of Anjou^ who routs Ferdinand : but
the latter being reinforced by the Pope and the Duke of
Mil^n^ takes the field again^ and drives his competitor
cut of the Kingdom.

IT always has been, and indeed ought to be, the
main end and defign of thofe that wage war, to
enrich themfelves and impoverifli their enemies : nor
is there any other reafonable motive to contend for
viftory and conqueft, but the aggrandizement of one
nation, and the depreOlon of another. From hence
it neceflarily follows, that whenever any State is im-
poveriflied by its vidories, or debilitated by its con-
quefts, it has either proceeded too far, or fallen fliorC
of thofe pqrpofes for which the war was undertaken.
A Kingdom, or Commonwealth, may properly be
iaid to be enriched by vidory, when it extirpates its
-enemies, and becomes mailer of their polfeffions and
revenues. On the contrary, they are weakened by
their viótories, when they cannot utterly extingui(h
the enemy (though perhaps they may in fome mea-
fure have fubdued him) and his poflefììods fall into
the hands, not of the State itfelf, but its foldiery*
Such a Government fuffers much more from a vic-
tory than a defeat : for in one cafe, it is only expofed
to the outrage of an enemy, but in the other, it is in-
jured and opprefibd by its own friends \ which kwi"

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Bbok V. O F F L O R È N C i ^6^

ing more unnatural, is likcwife the more infupport-
able, cfpccially when it is thereby neceffitated to lajr
frefli taxes, and other heavy burdens upotl its fubjefti.
And if the Governofs have any hutnariity in them^
they carinoti furely, much rejoicfc at a viclory which
fills all the reft of the community with thut*mUrs and
deje<5lion. The bcft governed Republics that we read
of in ancient hiftory, after they had obtaihed a vie-
tQry, always ufed to throw the fpoil they had taken
from the enemy into the common Tfeafury, to diftri-
bute largeflTes amOngft the people, to remit theii*
taxes, and chtertain them with magnificent fpeftacles*
But the vidories gained by thofe States, of whom we
are now writing, not only exhauftcd their publid trea-
fure, but drained the purfe of every private man, and
after all, did hot effeólbally fecure them againft any
further attempts from theif enemies. All which was
owing to the abfurd and ridiculous nlanrier iti Which
they carried on theit* wars : for after a battle, the
conquerors generally contented themfelves with ftrip*
ing the enemy, and feldom put any of them to deaths
or fo much as made them prifoners : fo that the van*
quiftied always renewed the war, as foon as ever they
were provided again with hòrfes and arms by thofe
that had taken them into their |)ay« And as the
booty and ranfom-money were claimed by the (oU
diery, the State, receiving ho advantage from thence*
was forced to" tear the fupplies it ftood iù need of, out
of the bowels of its own fubjtfts *, who had the
mortification of feeing that inllead of reaping any
fort of benefit from a viftory, it only fcrved to make
their Governors proceed With lefs regard ahd com*
l^affion in laying new burdens upon them.

Thefe foldiet-s Condudihg the war in fuch a man-
tier, deduced both the conqueror and the conquered,
to the neceffity of raifihg continual fupplies at honie,
if they Intended to maintain any authority or com-

* Does not tbis (tern to be out own cftfe^ With icgttd to the cap*
turet made by oar Ships of war ?

Vol*!. B b mand.

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V''

370 THE HISTORY Book V.

raand over their forces ; as one fide expedcd to bt
new clothed and accoutred^ and the other lo be re-
warded for thefr fervices : and fince thofe that had
been defeated could not take the field again, till they
were remounted, and thofe that beat them would
fight no more till they had been rewarded, it gene-
rally hajipened, that the former did not fuftain much
lofs, nor the latter, gain any confiderable advantage
by their vidory ; for the conquered had, for the moft
part, put themfeJves in a condition to make head
afrefti againft the conqueror, before, he was in rea*
dinefs to purfue his blow. From this perverfe and
diforderly behaviour in the foldiery, it happened that
Piccinino had remounted his troops before the news
of his defeat had reached many parts of Italy, and
renewed^ the war with greater vigour than ever he
had done before. To the fame caufe it was owing
that he was able to furprize Verona: that after . his
forces had been difperfed when Sforza retook that
town, he was in a condition to invade Tufcany with,
a powerful army : and that after his misfortune at
Anghiari, he was grown ftronger, even before he got
into Romagna, than he was at the beginning of -the
adlioh that happened there : fo that the Duke of Mi-
lan now began to conceive fqme hopes of being able,
to defend Lombardy, which he bad in a manner
given up for loft, during the abfenpe of that Ge-
neral. For whilft Piccinino was making fuch ha-»
■vock as he had done in Tufcany, his raafter was in .
danger of being ftripp'd of his own dominions ; and
being àpprehenfiv'e that he fiiould be totally ruined
before the other could come to his relief, though he-
had fen t to recall him, he refolved to try if he could
not in fomé meafuré check Count Sforza's career,
and divert the fury of a dorm by. artifice and ad-
drefs, which he was not in ?[ capacity to refift, .For
this ' purpofe, he had recourfe to fgch expedients as.,
he had* often availed himfelf of before in the like
conjunftures, atjddifpatched Niccolo da tfti. Prince
of Ferrara» to Pefchiera, where Sforaai then lay, who*

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Bookr. OF 1* L 0 R E N C É; §;£

earncftly exhorted him to peace, and repVefented to
hirn how prejudicial a continuation of the war was
likely to prove to himfelf-, fince if the Duke was re-
duced to fuch circumftances that he could not fup-
port his prefent power and. reputation, the Count
muft be the firft man that would fufFer by it; as neiì
ther the Venetians nor- Florentines would have any-
further occafion for his fervice, nor of courfe any-
longer the fame efteem for his perfon. And to con-
vince him of the Duke's fincerity in defijing a peacei
he folemnly aflured him in his name, that as foon aS
one was concluded, the marriage Ihould be imme-
diately confummated with his daughter, whom he
would fend to Ferrara for that purpofe, and ihcfà
in perfon deliver her into his own hands. To this
the Count made anfwer, ** that if the Duke was
really defirous of a peace, he might eafily obtaiii
one, as the Venetians and Florentines were no lefs
inclinable to it : but that for his own part, he could
put very little confidence in him, fifice he well knew
he would never make any peace, except he was com*
pelled to it by downright neceffity ; and that, as
foon as the danger was over, he would inftarttly, re-
new thè war : that he could not give much more cre^
dit to what he promifcd concerning the marriage, as
he had been fo often deceived by him before; bue
if other things could be amicably adjulled, he would
proceed in that matter as he Ihould be advifed by.
|iis friends/^ .

The Venetians, naturally apt to fufpeft ttiéirGe-
Jieralsj even when they have no reafon," had fufficienÉ
caufe to look .with' great jealouiy upon thefe nego-
tiations, as indeed they did: and the Count' being
aware of it> éndeavc ured in fome meafbre to re-
cover their confidence by a vigorous prof(fcutioh' T)f
the war. But the ufual alacrity of the one was at
iaft foabated by his ambitious views ; and the^tninds
cf the other fo enflamed withltifplcion, that noocier
ciiterprife worth notice was undertaken during :hé
reft of tharSummcr : fo'that wheiì'Pittihirfò rctì^med
^''-' ^ B b 2 into

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172 T H E H I S T O R Y Book V.

into Lombard y, the Winter being come on, the rc-
fpedlive armies went into quarters, the Count re-*
tiring to Verona, the Duke^s forces to Cremona, the
Florentines into Tufcany, and thofe of the Pope into
Romagna. The laft, after the battle of Anghiari,
made an aflault upon Furli and Bologna, in hopes
of wrefting them out of the hands of Francifco Pic*
cinino, who held them in. his father*s name : but
they were fo well defended by Francifco, that the
attempt did not fuccced. Their march into thofe
parts, however, ftruck fuch a terror into the people
of Ravenna, that, to avoid falling into the hands of
the Church, they (with the confent of Oftafio da Po-
lenta their Lord) put themfelves under the dominioo
of the Venetians ; who, as a recompence for that fa-
vour, and to prevent Oftafio from ever recovering
by force what be had fo fimply given away, fcnt him
«and his only Son to fpend the reft of their days in
Candia. Thefe different emerprizcs had lb drained
the Pope of money, that nocwithftanding the Vic-
tory gained at Anghiari, his Holinefs was obliged to
fell the Caftle of Borgo di San Sepulchro to the Flo-
rentines for the fum of twenty-five thoufand ducats.

Things being in this fituation, and both fides
thinking themfelves fafe froói any attack during the
winter, all further thoughts of peace were laid afide,
efpecially by the Duke ; who now looking upon him-
felf as fufficiently fecured, in the firft place by the
feafon of the year, and in the next by the arrival of
Piccinino, had broke off his treaty with the Cotint,
and applied himfelf with great diUgeùce to furnifli
his General with Cavalry atKi all other provifions that
were neceffary to continue the war. The Count, on
the other hand, having intelligence pf theie prepa-
rations, immediately repaired to Venice to concert
joeafures with the Senate there, for opening the next
campaign. As fbon as Piccinino was in reaJdiMls
to take the fifcld, and perceived the enemy was yet
ia no capacity" to oppofe him,, he did not wait for
the approach of the Spring, but palled the Adda ia

I the

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BookV. OF FLORENCE. 373

the depth of Winter, entered the territories of Bref-
eia, and making himfelf mafter of all that Country,
except Adula and Acri, furpri^ted above two thou*
fand of Sforza's Cavalry, who, not expcifling any
fuch vifit, were all taken prifoners and ftrippcd. But
what mòft chagrined the Count and alarmed the Ve-
netians, > was the defection of Ciarpelione, one of his
principal Officers, who had mutinied and quitted their
iervice/ Upon the news of which, he pofted away
from Venice to Brefcia, and finding at his arrival
there, that Piccinino, after he had committed the
above mentioned hoftilities, was returned to his for-
mer quarters and lay quiet there, he did not care to
provoke him to (lir out of them again at that time ;
but thought it more prudent to make ufc of the op-
portunity which the enemy gave him, to put his forces
in good order, that fo he might be able to take any
advantage that offered and wipe off his late difgrace
at a proper feafon. He therefore prevailed upon the
Venetians to recall the forces they had in the fervicc
^ of the Florentines, and perfuaded them to take Mi-
cheletto Attenduli into their pay, in the room of Gat-
tamelata who was now dead.

At the return of the fpring. Piccinino appearing
firft in the field, laid fiege to Cignano, a Caftle about
twelve miles from Brefcia ; to the relief of which
the Count likewife marched out with his forces ; and
the war was once more begun and conduced in the
ufual manner betwixt thole two Generals. The
Count on one fide, being apprehenfive that Bergamo
would fall into the enemy's hand, fat down before
Martinengho, a Caftle fo fituated, that whoever wa$
matter of it might eafily throw fuccours into Bergamo,
which City was very much ftraitened by Piccinino 5
who, on the other hand, being fenfible that he could
not be annoyed from any other quarter, had taken
care to furniih it with all manner of provifions for
its defence •, fo that the Count was forced to bring his
^hole army before it*, Piccinino therefore potted
himfelf with all his forces likewife in fuch a fituation,

B b 3 that

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y^ TH E H* S^r oil Y BtìbkV..

jhat /he entirely cut off all fupplies from Sforza'*
camp, and fortified his own fo ilrongly with ditches.
^nd brea,ft-works, that the Count could not attack
him without manifcft difad vantage : fo that the be*
fiegers were ia much greater danger than thofe that
were befieged. In thele circumftances, as the Count
could neither continue the ficge fur want, of pro-
vifions, nor raife it tor fear of Piccinino falling upoa
hin?, every body concluded the Duke muft certainly
gain a complete Vitìory, and that Sforza and the
Vcnnians would be utterly undone. But by the ca-
price of Fortune, who takfs delight in Ihewingher
power to exalt her minions, and ruin fuch as are not
in her good graces,, things took a very different rurn s
for Piccinino grew fo intolerably infolent and am-
bitio.U5,.in full confidence of -Vidory, that forgetting
himfclf and laying afide all due refped to his Prince,
he lent him word, *' tha; as he had fought, his battk;^
fo,many years withoiu being requited with fo muchi
ground as would bury him wheri he died, he defired
to know what reward he. might cxpeft for his fcr^
vices : for lince it was now in his power to. m^ke hio)
^bfolute Lord of Lombardy and deliver up all hi^
j^nemies. into his hands, he thought a certaia Victory
dcferyed a certain rccompence-, and therefore de-
mancjed that the city of Placentia fhould be afligned
1:0 {lim, whither he might retire to cpjoy a little re-r
pofe ^t laft, after fo long a courfe of labour and
fatigue/* Nay he prpceeded fo far in the end as to -
threaten the Duke that be would abandon the en?
terprize if his demands were not complied with.

But the Duke was exafperated at this audacious
behaviour to fuch a degree, that he chofe ratiier to
give up fo great an advantage, than meanly to fub*
:rni|: to his infolence 5 fa that what ncixher the ntfe-

lace^ of his enemies, nor the many immineat danger^
!ie;.had been in, could ever move him to-coinfent to^

le, was at laft indqce^d to comply with by the" ajrFOr
gapce, of his, friends ; ancj inimediately refolvfd 'ta
tecffi? SO. .^5->^?c^*^n^cda,ifion with the .^OJMnt. Fop

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Éook V; O F' F L O RE N CE. '^75

which purpofé he ftht Antonio Guido Buona da Tor-
tona to him, with an offer of his daughter, and fuchi
overtures for a peace, as were eagerly accepted both:
by him and the reft of the confederates.

As Toon as the articles were privately ligncd, by
all parties, the Duke fent orders to Picctnino to make
à truce with the Count for one year, pretending,
*• that he was fo tired of theexpences of war, that he
could not help preferring a certain peace, to a vic-
tory that was ftill doubtful." Piccinino was thunder-
ftruck at this refolution^ not being able to compre*
Jiend what motives could induce the Duke to let fo
glorious a viftory^tlip out of his hands • little ima-
gining that the reaforr of fulFering his enemies to
efcape, was only to avoid recompenfing his friends.
He opppfed it, however^ as much as lay in his power,
and behaved in fo refraftory a manner, that in order
to force him to a compliaace, the Duke threatened
to give him up, to be treated by the foldiers of both
armies, as they pleaftd, if he did not inftantly obey
his orders. Upon which he was obliged to fubmiti
but with the fame reluftance that a man may be fup^
pofed to do, who is compelled to leave his friends
arid country ; lamenting his evil deftiny, and com-
plaining with much bitterncfs both of fortune and
fhe Duke, who had confpired together to fnatch the
viftory out of his hands. After the truce was con-^
eluded, the nuptials were celebrated betwixt Madam
Bianca and the Count, who received the City of Cre-
mona with her in dower: and in November 1441, a
peace was agreed upon-, at the fignirtg of which,
Francifco Barbadico and Paolo Trono affifted as Ple-
nipotentiaries for the Venetians, and Agnolo Acci-
aiuoli for the Florentines, By this treaty, the for-
treflcs of Pefchiera, Afola, and Leonato, in the
Marquifate of Mantua, were ceded to tlie Venetiafis>

Though the war in Lombardy was now at end, the
kingdom of Naples was ttill far frorti being in peace :
add as no means could be found of quieting the difr
itraóiions tjiere, they proved at laft the occafion of

B b 4 raifing

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37^ T H E H I S T O R Y Book V,

Taifmg frclb combuftions inLombardy, For during
^h^ laft, King Regnicr had bc^n ftrippcd of every
town that he bad got pofleflTion of in that Kingdonn,
except the city of Naples i^felf, by Alphonfo of Ar-
ragon \ who now thinking himfelf fure of the whole,
determined, ^t the fame time that he laid fiege to
tha; City^ to feizc upon Benevento^, and fome other
towns belonging to Count Sforza, in the adjacent
territory, which he thought ^might eafily be efteftcd»
whilft the Coui^t hlmfclf was fo fully employed in
Lombardy. And he actually fucceeded in his defign,
tnaking hin[>fclf Mafter of all thofif places with little
pr no difficulty. But, upon the npvs of a peaoe he-
|ng (:or)cluded in Lombardy, Alphonfq grew appi*e«
henfive, that the Count would foon march to join
Regnier^ in order to recover his own poffeffions ^ and
Regnier not being without fome expedacions of th^
fame kind, fent to entreat the Cou^t to come to the
^fliftance of a friend, efpccially as he Qiight, at the
lame time, revenge himfelf upon an enemy, Al-
phonfo, on the other hand, earneftly follicited Duke
Philip, that out of regard to. the frienddiip which had
fo long fqbfifted betwixt them, he would cut out fome
work of greater confcquence to the Count, in order to
divert him from this defien. A?Vitb this the Duke rea"-
dily complied, not confidering, that it would be ^ di'»
reft violation pf the treaty he had fo lately concluded.
He, therefore, in the firft place, fuggefte4 to Pope
Eugenius, that he now had a fair opportunity of re-
covering the territories which Sforza had taken from
the Church; ^nd for that purpofe, recommended
Piccip,ino to him (who after the concluGon of a peace,
bad retired with his forces into Romagna) and faid,^
lie yifou(!d pa;^ him pi;t of bis own pur(e, as long as

« B«nevento ts, ihuated at tke influence of the river Spiato aiul
Colore, which here form the Volturno, 1 30 miles fouth eaft of Rome»
«nd 34 north e^fi. of >{aples. Jt is aji Archbiiboprick, fubjeft to the
tope, who is fovereign of this City. The greater part of it was dex
Iinoliibed by an earthquake, in the yeai* 168S, and the Archbi(bop of
it dug .out of the ruins J who, being afterwards advanced^ to the
jfap^, Qliair, by (he name of Benedid XIII. rebuiU this City.

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Book V. O F F L O R E N C E. 377

the war continued. EugeoHis, out of the ancient ha«
tred which he bore to the Cpunt» and the defire he
Ibad of recovering the poffeffions he ufurped from
hifD» liftened with great eagernefs to this propofal,
and though he had formerly been duped by Picei*
nino, in the vei^ fame manner, he thought, now the
Duke of Milan was on his fide, he had no occafioo
to miftruft hiqfi \ and therefore immediately joining
his forces with thofe of Piccinino, he made an incur-
fion into la Marca d' Ancona. The Count, on the
other hand, though not a little furprifed at fo fudden
an invafion, having afiembled what troops, he could
raife, marched out to face the enemy.

In the mean time Alphonfo had taken Naples ; fo
that all the kingdom was now in his poflèlfìon, except
Caftel Nuovo, in which Regnier had left a ftrong gar-
rifon, and was gone himfelf to Florence, where he
was received with much honour : but afte;* he had
(laid a few days there, and found he could no longer
continue the war, he went to Marfeilles. During thi$
ihort interval, Caftel Nuovp had likewife fallen into
the hands of Alphonfo i and Count Sforza perceiving
he was not able to cope with Piccinino and the Pope
in la JMarca, had recourfe to the Venetians and Fio-»
rentìnes for fupplies both of men and money ; re-
prefenting to them, that if they did not take proper
ineafures to check the ambition of the Pope and King
Alphonfo, whild he was in a capacity to alTift them»
it would foon behove them to look to themfclves, as
they would afterwards certainly join with the Duke of
Milan, and divide Italy amongft them. To thefe fol-
licitations the Florentines and Venetians were for
iome time in doubt what anfwer to return, as they did
not care to break with the Pope and Alphonfo, and
their attention was likewife at that time wholly turned
upon affairs at Bologna *,

• Bologna, or Bononis^ lies about 50 miles north of Florence,
^nd 200 miles north-weft ot Rome, on feveral little rivulets, and a
j^fig^bh canali in one of the moSt fruitful plains of Italy, and it

* Anni*

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j7t T H E H I S T O R Y Book V*

- Annibal Bcntivoglio? 4tiKÌ htely driven Francifed
Piccinino out of that' city, and to defend himfelf
^gaiaft the Duke of Milan, (who fupported Francifco)
demanded th€ aid of the Venetians afìcj Florentines,
who readily grartied it: fo that whitft their forced
were employed in that fervice, they Were doubtful
whether they fhould be abk to affift Sforza. But af^
terwards, when Annibal had entirely got the better
ef his adveriary, and that affair was over, the Floren*
tines determined to fend him relief. However, in
order to fccure themfelves againft the Duke, they, irt
che fkft place, renewed the League with him, to
whch the Duke himfelf was not averfe : for though
he had in fome meafure contributed to bring that? war
«pon the Count at a time when Regniei' had got?
footing in the Kingdom of Naples ; yet, when h^
faw him vanquilhed and utterly driven out of ir, htf
did not care to have the Count alfo deprived of hrs
dorhinions, and therefore not only gave his confent
that others fhould fend him fuccours, but wrote him-^
felf to defire Alphonfo would return with his forces
to Naples and give the Count no further difturbancc i
ivhich he feemed very unwilling to comply wFth : but
confidermg his obligationis to the Duke, he at laft ac-
quiefced, and withdrew with his troops to the othei*
fide of the Trenta,

Whilft things were thus circumftanced in Romagna,
the Florentines had fome difturbances at home. A-
mongft thofe that had the chief authority in the Go-^
vernment there. Neri the Son^of Gino papponi was
one of whofe reputation Cofimo de* Medici was more
jealous than of that of any other perfoft ; as he had
no€ only very grear credit in the City, but was ex-

tìiereforc called Bologna the Fat. This City is about five miles in dr^
cumference, remarkable for its magnificent Churches and Mo^
jiafteries, and the riches and fine paintings in them. The inhabitants
are computed to amount to about 70,000. It is the See of an Arch- •
bifhop, and one of the moft confiderable Univerfities in Europe, fub-
jeót to the Pop^ and governed by his Legate. There is an Academy
cf Literati here, who itile themfelves G/i Otiefi, from their retirement
and tranquillity.

• ceedingly

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byLiOogle

Béolc V. OF FLORENCE. %f^

cccdingly beloved by the foldiery, whofe'aflfeflions ho
had gained by his bravery, humanity, and good coin
duft when he commanded the troops of the Reppbi
Kc, as he had done upon feveral occafioos. Beflde»
iivhich, the remembrance of the viftqriès that had
been gained by him and his^ fathà* (onq of whom had
taken Pifa, and the other defeated Niccolo Piccinino
at the. Battle of Anghiari) made him refpeéied by
many, and feared by others who did nor defire any
more affociates in the Governinent. . But of all thck
Generals Raldaccio de Anghiari was certainly thd
in oft eminent j nor wais there any man in Italy at that
time who furpafled him either in courage, or military
Ikill, or bodily accomplifhments : and having always
commanded the Infantry, they had fuch an opinio»
of him, that it was generally believed he could influì,
.enee them to execute any purpofe, and that they
would follow him in any undertaking Whatfoever*
This Baldaccio was very intimate with Neri, fof
3m?hom he had the higheft efteem on account of hii
valour and other good qualities, of which he had
long been a witnefs : but it was a connexion t4iac^x»
cit^ infinite jealoufy amongft the reft of' the priflci*
pal Citizens, who thinking it dangerous to* let'- him
enjoy his liberty^ and ftill more fo to i^tiprifori him,
refolved to have him difpatched j in which, fortune
feemecl to fecond their defign. Bartolomeo Orlatif-
dini was then Gonfalonier of Juftice; who having
been fent to defend the pafs of Marradi, when Nic-
colo Piccinino invaded Tufcany, had Ihamefully de^
fefted it, (as we have before related) and abandoned
all that country to the fury of the enemy, which,
from the nature of its fituation,, was of itfelf almoft
inacceflible. So flagrant a piece of cowardice, pro»
yoked Baldaccio to fuch a degree, that he could not
help expreffing his contempt of him, both in public
converfation, and the letters which he wrote to bis
friends, in terms that not only excited Orlandini's re»-
fentment, but made him thirft for revenge, and flat-

^,er himfelf that be fhould exdnguifh the infamy of

..... ^^^

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Ito THE HISTORY Book V.

the faft» by the death of his accufer. To this rclb-
Itttion • fome other Citizens were privy, who encour*
tged him in it, and faid by fo doing he would fuffi-
cieritly revenge the injuries which he had fuffered
himfelf, and at the fanje time deliver the government
from the fear of a man whom it was dangerous to
employ, and might be their ruin to difmifs. Orlan-
dini tl^refore, being confirmed in his purpofe to af>
iììSnate him, (hut up feveral armed men in his apart-
Qoenc *, and the next day when Baldaccio came to at«
tend at Che Palace ("as be did moft days) to confer
with the Magiftracy concerning the pay of his foU
dierSi he was ordered to wait upoQ the Gonfalonier
immediately ; which he did, without fufpcfting any
danger. As foon as they met and had taken a turn
or two in the gallery which is before the chambers of
the Signiory, they began to talk about their affairs,
^nd at laft coming near the door of the apartment ^
where the armed men were concealed, the Gonfalo-
nier gave them a Cgnal : upon which, they inftantly
fu&ed out, and as Baldaccio had neither arms nor
attendants, they foon difpatched him, and threw him
out of the Palace window that looks towards the Do-
gana, or Cuftom-houfe, from whence he was carried
into the Piazza, and after they had cut off bis head,
his body was expofed there all that day as a fpeclacle
io the People. He left only one Son, who was but
a boy, and did not long furvive his father, Hi^ Wi-
dow Annalena, being thus deprived both of her Huf.
band and Child, refolved to have no further com-
merce with the World, and having converted her
houfe into a fort of Convent, Ihe ftiut herfelf up in it
with feveral other Ladies of Noble families, and there
Jpent the reft of her days, in aéls of piety and devo»
tion, immortalizing her memory by endowing and
calling the Convent after her own name.

• This vague and indifcrimmate manner of fpeaking, Ctemi rather
a ftroke of partiality in the author } as it is well known, that theft
other Citizens were the Medici, on whofe family Machiavel was 0^
pendent when he wrote this hiftory. Compare this with what he fvf%
of bit impartiality in the pedication to Clement VII.

This

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Book v. OF FLORENCE* $U

This tragical event gave a confiderable cheek to
Capponi's intereft) and diminiflied the number of his
partifans. . The governors however did not ftop here j
for as they had now been ten years in the adminiftra-
tion, and the authority of the Balia was expired, maay
began both to talk and a£l with much greater freedom
than they thought was confident with the fecority of
the State. In order therefore to eftablifli themfelvcs
in their power, they judged it ncceffary to revive that
Court ; by which they would have an opportunity of
flrengthening the hands of their friends^ aiid moro
efFeftually depreffing their enemies. With this view,
the Councils inftituted a new Balia in the^ year 1444^
which confirmed the prefent Magiftrates in their ref-
pedtive departments, vefted the privilege of chufi'ng
the Signiory in a few hands, and new-modelled the
Chancery (f Reformation^ depofing the Prefident Philip
Peruzzi, and fetting another perfon^at the head of it,
who they were well aflured would conform himfclf to
their inftrudions. They likewife prolonged the ba-
ni(hment of fuch as they had before fent into exile^
imprifoned Giovanni the Son of Simone Vefpucci,
and deprived all thofe of their honours and employ-
ments, that adhered to their enemies ; amongft whom,
were the Sons of Pietro Baroncclli, the whole family
of the Seragli, Bartolomeo Fortini, Francifco Cafteì-
lani, and many others. By fuch means they at the
fame time regained their former authority and repu-
tation, and quafhed all oppofition : and having thus
got entire poffeflion of the Government at home, they
now began to turn themfelvés with more attention to
foreign affairs.

Niccolo Ficcinino, as we have already faid, was
abandoned by King Alphonfo, and Count Sforza
grown fo powerful by the afliftance of the Florentines
that he attacked him near Fermo, and gave him fo
total an overthrow, that he cfcaped with but very
few of his men to Montccechio; where however he
fortified himielf in fuch a manner, that being foon
rejoined by almoft all his forces» ne was able to de-
fend

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^i THE HISTORY Book V^

fend himfelf againft the Count; efpecially, as he
was favoured by the approach of the Winter, whiclx
dbliged thèm both to fend their troops into quarters.
iMiring the courfe of the Winter, Piccinino's chief
care was to recruit his army, which was alfo not a
little reinforced by other fupplies from the Pope and
Kitìg Alphotifo : fo that as foon as the Spring came
on, both Generals took the field again : but Picci-
nino's forces being much fuperior, reduced the Count
to foch extremities that he would have been utterly
ruined, if the Duke of Milan had not interfered, and
once more fftatched the Vitìory out of his adverfary's
hand, by fending him word that he muft inftantly re-
pair to his Court, for he wanted to confer perfonally
with him about fome affairs of the utmoft importance
to himfelf. Upon this. Piccinino, eager to know
what thofe affairs were, immediately polled away to
Milan, and left his Son Francifco to command the
army, rclinquilhing a certain Viftory for vain and
fallacious hopes. For the Count being aware of this,
refolvcd not to neglect fo great an advantage, but to
draw the enemy to an engagement if poffible in the
abfertce of their General -, in which he fucceeded ac-
cording to his wilh, and not only routed Francifco'a
forces, but took him prifoner near Monte Loro.
Niccolo oh the other hand, finding himfelf decoyed
by the Duke, and hearing of his Son's misfortune
foon after his arrival at Milan, was fo affedted with
it, that he died of grief in the year 1445, at the age
of 64, a more Valiant than fortunate commander.
He left two Sons, Francifco and Giacopo, whofe va-
lour was by no means equal to that of their father,
and their fortune ftill more unfavourable ; fo that the
glory of the Btaccefcan party was now in a manner
totally cclipfed, whilft the arms of the Sforzas, be-
ing more fuccefsful, daily increafed their intereft and
reputation. The Pope therefore, now Piccinino was
dead and his army difripated, not. expefting much
afliftance from Alphonlo, refoWed to come to an ac-
corUttìodition with (,^uunt Sforzai, which at lafl w^s
- ^ brought

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Book VL OF FLORENCE. 383

brought about by the mediation of the Florentines;
it being agreed betwixt them, that Ofimo,' Fabriano^
and Recanati, towns in la Marca de Ancona, IhouJd
be reftored to his Holinefs, and that the Count fiiOLrld
remain in pofleffion of the reft of that territory.

After this peace, all Italy would have been in
tranquillity, if it had not been prevented by the dtf-^
turbances that jmppened at Bologna. There, wcro
then two very powerful families in that City, the
Cannefchi and. the Bentivogli : Annibal was head of
the latter, Fattifta of the former. To create a mu-
tual, confidence, betwixt thefc two famrlies, and to
avail themfelves of each other^s affiftance, there had
been feveral intermarriages betwixt them: but
amongft people that afpire to the fame degree jof
grandeur, it is much eafier to contrad: an aUiance,
than a friendftìip. Bologna, was in league with the
Venetians and Florentines, a treaty having been made
with them for that purpofe by Annibal Bentivoglioy
after the expuifion of Francifco Piccinino 5 . but Bat-
tifta Cannefchi knowing how dcfirous the Duke of
Milan was to have an intereft there, had engaged in
a confpiracy with that Prince, to difpatch Anniba^;
and deliver up the City into his hands. . Accordingly, '
when they had concerted proper meafures for the-
execution dF their defign, on the24tb of June, 1445,
Battifta and his accomplices, fell upon Annibal, and
killed him : after which, they ran about the StrectSy
crying out. Long live the Duke of Milan. The Ve-
betian and Florentine Com miflaries happening to be
in the Town at that time, immediately- retired ta
their boufes upon, the firft rumour of the faft ; but
afterwards,, when they faw the people run tc^ther
in arms againft the murderers, and bitterly:Iameriting'
the death of Annibale they took courage, and hav-
ing joined them with their domcftics, attacked the^
Cannefchi anjd their followers, whom they foon got
the better of, killing fome,- and driving therèft out
of tlie Town. Battifta . Jiimfelf not beiitg able to*
n^ke his eicape, nQr his eneaùes to lay hold onhim^-
• /^ .\ ' -htd

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^S4 t H E H I 9 T O R y Book Vt

hid himfclf in a vault» in his own houfe, where ha
ufcd to keep his grain : but the people, after they
had fought for him in vain all day» though they knew
he had not got out of the City, at laft came back to
his houfe, and to terrified the fervants with their
threats» that one of them difcovered where he had
concealed himfclf 5 from whence they pulled him out^
covered with armour as he ftill was ; anc^ after they
had put him to death, they firft dragged his body
through the ftreets$ and then burnt it to afhes. Thus
having vainly depended upon the Duke's vi6torious
arms to fupport him, he perilhed in the attempt, for
want of proper fuccoun

The death of Battifta^ and the expuldofi of^ his
whole family^ put an, end to that infurredion indeed»
tnit the City ftill continued in great confufion; for
there was nobody left of the houftr of Benti voglio
that was capable of governing it^ as Annibal had
left but ohe fon, a boy of oftly fix years of age, whofc
name was John : fo that it was apprehended feme di«
vifions would arife amongft the friends of the Ben*
tivogli, which might open a door for the return of
the Cannefchi, to the utter ruin, not only of their
party, but of the whole City. Whilft they were in
this perplexity, Fraqcifco, who had formerly been
Count of Poppi^ happening to be then at Bplogna^
fignified to the principal Citizens, ** that if they had
a mind to be governed by a perfon that was of An*
nibal's blood, he knew where to find fuch a one : for
about twenty years before, one Hercules Bentivoglio,
a CouGn of Annibal, being at Poppi, had enjoyed
a young woman of that place, who afterwards was
brought to bed of a fon, whofe name was Santi -, and
that he had often heard him acknowledge the child
as his own: which feemed the more probable, as
there was a very ftrong refemblance betwixt them/'
This fuggeftion was liftened to with much eagern^
by the Citizens, who not only gave credit to the ftory,
but immediately lent deputies to Florence to fee the
young man^ and endeavour to preyail upon Neri

Cap-

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lìookVt. OF PLDHEN CE. 38^

Capponi, ànd Cofimo de* Medici, to deliver him to
them.

Agnolo da Cafcefe, the reputed father, was dead;
and Santi hìmfeliF at that time under the care of an
iiQcIe, whofe name was Antonio da Cafcefe. This
Aotoiiio was a rich man, had no children of his own,
and lived in great fricndfliip with Neri, who being
informed of thefe circumftances, thought it was ati
offer not to be defpifed, nor yet to be raftily accept-
ed ; and therefore determined that Santi fliould be in-
troduced to Cofimo, together with the deputies that
came from Bologna, where they might hear what
each party had to fay for themfelves. This being
done, the deputies not only acknowledged Santi, and
treated him with the higheft refped, but were almoft
rfeady to proftrate themfclves before him, out of the
ancient love they bòre to his family and friends. No-
thing, however, was concluded upon at that time i
but CoGmo taking Santi afide, faid to him, " Young
man, there is nobody that is capable of advifing you
jTo well in fuch a cafe as yourfelf ; and I would have
you follow the diftates of your own genius : for if
you are really the fon of Hercules Bentivoglio, you
will naturally afpire to fuch aftions as will be worthy
of your father and his family : but if you are the fon
of Agnolo Cafcefe, you will of courfe incline to con-
tinue in Florence, and fpend the reft of your life in
tombing wool, or fome other fuch vile occupation.''
The young man, who before feemed indifferent about
the matter, or rather unwilling to accept the offer,
being ftung with the farcafm, made anfwcr^ " that
he would leave himfelf wholly to the direftion of Co^
fimo and Neri j and as they thought proper to com-
ply with the requeft of the Bolognefe, he was foon
provided with rich cloths, horfes, and equipage, and
a few days afterwards conduded, in the midll of a
numerous attendance to Bologna, where he was ap-^
pointed Governor, not only of Annibal Bentivoglio^s
children, but of the City, and behaved himfelf with
fo much prudence in thofe charges, that, though moft
Vol. I. C c .of

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386 THE HI STORY Book Vt

of his predectfTors had been murdered by their ene-
mies, he, on the contrary, lived all his days in great
honour, and died a natural death.

After Niccolo Piccinino was dead, and a peace con-
cluded in la Marca, the Duke of Milan, (landing in
need of another General to command his forces, made
fome fecrct overtures for that purpofe to Ciarpellone»
^ho had returned into Count Sforza's fervice, and
was one of* his moft experienced officers; and Ciar-
pellone having accepted the offer, demanded leave of
the Count to go to Milan, that he might take poflef-
fion of fome Caftles, which the Duke had given him
in the late wars. But the Count fufpefting his de-
fign, caufcd him, in the firft place, to be arretted,
and foon after, to be put to death, that the Duke
might not av^ail himfelf of his fervice, if any future
difference fliould happen betwixt them j pretending,^
that he had difcovered a confpiracy, in which he was
engaged againft him. The Duke, indeed, was tho-
roughly exafperated at the difappointment ; but it
was matter of joy to the Florentines and Venetians,
who were always jealous of any connexion that might
make the arms of the Count fubfcrvient to the power
and ambition of the Duke. It ferved, however, to
excite frefli ti-oubles, an4 kindle new wars in la
Marca. -

Gifmondo Malatefta* was at that time Lord of Ri-
mini, and as he had. married the Count's daughter,

• Sigifmund Malatefta, or Gifmondo, as Machiavel calh him, v-as
a Philofopher, an Hiftorian, a great Soldrcr, and one of the moft re-
nowned Commanders of the hfteenth Century. But thefe accom-
plifhm'entf were obfcured by many very bad qualities. For he was
exceeding, profligate and prophane, ridiculed all Religion, denied
the Immortality of the Soul, and ftuck at nothing to lerve his pri-
vate intereft and ambition : by which behaviour he fo offended Piu»
II. that he excommunicated him in the year 1461. This Comman-
der, in conjun^ion with Count Sforza, roqted Antonio Ordelaffi,
Lord of Furli 5 and afterwards making war upon his other neigh-
bours, almoft always with good fuccefs, the Venetians made him
their General. He then pafied into the Morea, and took Sparta, an4
feverai other places from the Turks. At his return, the Florentine*
and Sienefe appointed him Commander in Chief of their forces, to
tnake war upoa Piu» > but he was not fuccefsful in that, lie died

ex-

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Book Vi; ò f' :^ l ó r è n c e. 387.

ejcpefted to have obtained the government of Pclaro
from him : but the Count, foon after he had got^
jioflcffion of that places gave it to his own brother
Alexander, which Wa^ highly refented by Gifmondo ; •
arid what exàfperàted Wna ftill more, was, that Fre-
deric di Moiitefeltro, his declared enemy, had taken
Urbino from him, chiefly by thè àfliftanc^ of the
Gouiit. Upon thefe- provocations, he went over ta'
the Duke, and eàrneftly follicited the Pope, and the
King of Napleà, to make war upon his father-in-law;^
iUfho, in order to give Gifmondo a tafte of the war
be leemed fo fond of, refolved to be before-hand with'
tiiem, and attack him in the firft place. This pr,e-
fently filled all Romagna, arid la Marca with tumult
and confufion i. for the Duke, the King of Naples,
àhd the Pope, all fent powerful fuccours to the aid of
Malatefta : aiid btt- tHe other hand, both the Floren-
tines and the Venetians fupplied the Count with what
Money he w^titèd, though they did not fend him any
mèh. Nor was the Duke content with carrying his
arms into Romagna, hedefigned likewife, if poffible,
to ftrip the Count of Pontremoli and Cremona * : but-
tile former was defended by the Florentines, and the
latter by the Venetians. From thefe fparks a frefh
war was kindled upin Lombardy, where, after fomc

Òélober 6, 1467, at tbe age of fifty one, leaving many children ;'
amongft whom was Robert Malatefta, a famous warrior in his day,
who was a General in the Venetian fervice, and afterwards com-
manded the army of Sixtus IV. againft Alphonfo, King of Naples,
and the reft of bis allies, whom he routed in 14.8Z. The Pope or-
.dered an Equeftrian Statue to be ere£led for him in St. Peter's
Church. The Malatefti were a very powerful family, and governed
both Pefaro and Kimini a long time j in the latter they maintained
themfelves above two hundred years. Clement VII. at laft took it
from.Pandolpho Malatefta, who died in poverty at Ferrara. Mar-
chefelli & Sanlovino Grig, di famig. Ital.

• Cremona is the capital of the Cremonefe, in the Duchy of Mi-
lan, fituated upon the Po, 45- miles fouth-éaft of that Ciry. Here
Prince Eugene, the Imperial General, furprized the French General
Marflial Viileroy, in his bed, and carried him off in the year 1702,
and would infallibly have taken the City, if the troops, appointed
to fupport him, had not loft their way; The Prince entered the
to^n m the night by a fubterraneous paflage, which had been aa
aqu'edudV, and returned the fame way, with vay little lofs.

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388 THE HISTORY Book Vt

fkirmiflics in the Cremoncfe, Francifco Piccinino, the
Duke's General, was totally defeated by Micheletta
Attcnduli, who commanded the Venetian forces, in
an engagement that happened near CafaL This vic-
tory fo elated the Venetians, that they began to con-
ceive hopes of making themfelves mafters of all the
Dirke'^s dominions : for which purpofe, they fcnt a
commiffary with an army towards Cremona, who
took Ghiaradadda by aiTault, reduced the whole coun-
try round about it, except Cremona itfelf, and then
pafling the Adda, made incurfions up to the very gate»
of Milan. In this exigency, the Duke had recourfe
to King Alphonfo, for fuccours ; reprefenting to bin»
the danger his own dominions would be in, if Lorn-
bardy fliould fall into the hands of the Venetian» t
upon which confideration, Alphonfo promifed to fend
him the fuccours he requefted, though it would be a;
very difficult matter, he faid, to find any paflage
into Lombardy, if the Count (hould endeavour to
prevent it. He therefore likewife applied to the
Count himfclf, whom he earneftly entreated not ta
abandon his father-in-law, now he was weighed dowa
with years, and had loft his fight. The Count, in--
deedji^ was not a little enraged at the Duke, for tak-
ing part in that war againft him \ and on the other
hand, he could not help looking with fome jealoufy
on the power of the Venetians, and the deficiency of
his remittances^ as the league began to grow very
fparing in furnifhing him with fuppltes : for the Flo^
rentines were now freed from thofc apprehenfions of
the Duke, which had formerly made them fo much
carefs the Count; and the Venetians wifhed to fee
him ruined, as he was the only mat) that could pre-
vent them from becoming mailers of all Lonabardy-r
Neverthelefs, whrlft the Duke was thus endeavour-
ing to draw him over to his interefts, and offered hini
the command of all his forces, provided he would
Iqave the Venetians, and reftore what he poffcflcd iit
la Marca to the Pope, they alfo thought proper ta
fend Ambaffadors to him, with a promife of Milan,
7 if

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Book VI. O F F L O R E N C E. sif

if they took it, and the command of their troops for
Jife, upon condition that he would continue the war
in la Marca, and obftrua the paflage of the fuccour^
which Alphonfo was going to fend into Lombardy^

The offers of the Venetians were very tempting^
and the favours he had received from them confiderà*
able, as they had entered into the war merely to fe*
cure Cremona to the Count : on the contrary, the in^
juries the Duke had done were frefh uppn his mind,
and he knew his promifes were always infmcere, an4
not to be depended upon. He therefore was in doubc
what refolution to take : for on one fide he confidered
his engagements with the league, the forfeiture of his
honour, the late good offices they had done him, and
the proi^iifes of further 'reward: on the other, he
could not help being moved by the entreaties of his
father-in-law, nor to fufpeót there was fome latent
poifon in the magnificent promifes that were made
him by the Venetians ; efpecially as he was fenfible,
that if ever they gained their ends, he Ihould then
have nothing to truft to but their mercy and honour
for the performance of them, and even for his own
prefcrvation, and that of his dominions ; a condition
to which no wife Prince would ever fubmit, except
compelled by downright neceffity. But the ambition
of the Venetians, atlaft, put an* end to the Count's
fufpenfe; for as they had formed a defign of feizing'
upon Cremona, by the afliftance of fome of the Ci-
tizens there, with whom they held a correfpondcnce,
they caufed their forces to march that way, thougt
upon a different pretence ; but their intention being
difcovered by thole that governed the City for the
Count, they not only failed in that attempt, but en*»
tirely loft the Count by it, who, without any further
confideration, or regard, immediately wept over to
the Duke.

Pope Eugenius being now dead *, was fucceedecj
Jby Nicholas V. and the Coynt had already advanced

• The name of this Pontif, before bis exaltation, was Gabrieli
' Condeluaierio. He was born of a jPIebeian family at Venice, and fuc

Q Q I cecdei

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390 T H E H I § T P R y^ Book VI

with all his forces as far as Cotignola, in order to
pafs into Lomb^rdy, when he received an account of
the Duke of Milan's death. This event, which hap-
pened on the laft day of Auguft, in the Year 1447,
exceedingly embarrafled the Count ; for in the firffi
placche began to be apprehcnfive his men would
grow mutinous for wane of the arrears which were
due to theni : and in the next he was afraid of the
Venetians, who were already armed, and he knew;
would refent his abandoning them and joining the late
Duke. Alphonfo was his ancient enemy ; and he
could put no confidence either in the Pope ojr the

cceded Martin V. in the year 1431. His Pontificate was an unquiet
one, as he waà involved in v?ars, and difturbed vrith fchifms and ec-
clefiaftical fedition, during the greater part of it. Being forced from
Rome by the arms and intrigues of the Duke of Milan, be fled tQ
Florence 5 and refufing to go to the CouVicil which he had fum-
iDoned to meet at Bafil, he was depofed for contempt (as has beert
faid before, in a note, towards the latter end of the fourth Book of
this Hiltory) and the Antipope, Amadeus, Duke of Savoy, or Felix
V. fetup in his room. At 1 alt, however, after ten years abfence, he
returned to Rome» made a vigorous oppofition to his enemies, whtf
were making great havock in the eccleiiaftical State } and at the fame
time fent a fleet by fea, and an army by land, againft the Turk, un-
der the command of his Legate Juliano Cefarini. He was very in-
conftantand defultory in his a6tions at the bcgmning of his reign,
and led away by evil Counfels j but afterwards, aóled with prudence
and refolutioa: But an ii^different fcholar, though pretty well vcrfed
in hiftory ; very liberal, efpecially to men of learning, whom he fa-
voured and preferred 5 a great benefaéìor to the Religious Orders, to
fome of which he granted feveral privileges and revenues, and in-
creafed the foundations of others. But he delighted fo much in war^
that befides thpfe he was embroiled in himfelf in Italy, he inltigatcd
the Dauphin of France to march with a great body of hoife againit
bis enemies at Bafil : ^nd afterwards fent Ladiflaus, King of Poland,
with his Legare Cefarini, againft the Turks, of whom they cut off
thirty thoufand, in a battle betwixt Adrianople and the banks of the
Danube; but the King and the Legate were alfo killed at the fame
time* Platina adds, that he was accounted very ttriól to his word^
except ichen he had made a fromife 'whkk it ijuas better to re^z^ke than
ferjormi Qu.- Does he mean better for -hirafelf or otheis ? He died in
fhe 63d year of bis age, after he had reigned almóft 16 years. Set
Platina. Spondan. Annal.

The Reficétion he made juft: before he expired, is remarkable, and
a proof that thofe that poilefs the higheft dignities find them to be
mere vanity. When he was going to breathe. bis laft, he turned to-
wards fome friers who flood by his bed-fide, and faid with a deep
£gb, that it would Irave conduced much more to his falvation, if he
had never been either Pope or Cardinal, Launoius Epift. ult. Fart.
i; p. %%, Edit. Cantab. :

'-.■••■;'••■• Flo-

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Book Vr. OF FLORENCE. sgt

Florentines; as he had taken many towns from the
one, and the other were in league wiih the Venetians;.
He refolvcd however to face them all, and avail
himfelf of fuch expedients as might afterwards oc-
Qur; well knowing that fortune ufually favours fuch
as are bold and aftive, and turns her back upon thofe
that give themfelves up to indolence and defpair :
befides, he was not without feme hopes, that the Mi-
lancfe would be obliged to have recourfe to him for
protedion againft the ambition of the Venetians.
Taking courage therefore, he marched into the terri-
tories of Bologna, and having pafled Modena and'
Reggio, he encamptrd with his whole army upon the
banks of the Lenza, from whence he fent to make
an offer of his fervice to the Milanefe. After the
death of the Duke, his fubjcfts divided into fadions,
one party being defirous of forming themfelves into
a Republic, and another of living under the govern-
ment of a Prince : and of thofe that chofe the latter,
fome were for having the Count, and others King
Alphonfo to reign over them. Thofe however, that
refolved to live under a free government, being more
united amongft themfelves, at laft prevailed over the
other party and eftablilhed a Commonwealth upon
their own model : which yet many Cities in that
Duchy would not fubmit to, in hopes they (hould
be able to become independant as well as Milan :
and even thofe that did not afpire to be abfolutely
free, refufed to be governed by the Milanefe. Of
the latter. Lodi, and Plarentia put themfelves under
the proteftion of the Venetians : but Pavia and
Parma • maintained their own liberties. The Count

• The Duchy of Parma wag afligncd to the Houfe of Aulirla, af-
ter the death of the late Duke, who had no children, by a treaty be-
twixt the Emperor Charles VI. and France, in the year 1736, and
the Houfe of Auilria took poiTeffion of it accordingly ; againll which»
the Pope protefted, claiming it a« a Fief of the Holy See. The Court
of Parma in the reigns of the late Dukes of the Houfe of Farnefe*,
«las one of the moft fplendid in Europe.— The late Queen dowager of
Spain was a daughter of Parma, whofe eldeft Son Don Carlos,- tlic
preient King of bpain, w.as to have fucceeded to this Duchy, and

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|9ì T H E H I S T Q R Y BpokVI,

being informed of thcfc diyifions, removed to Cre-
mona, where it was agreed becwixt CommiflSoners oi^
his part, and others who were fent thither by the Mi-
lanefe, that he Ihould be commander in chief of their.
Ibrces, upon the fame terms that h^d been oiffered
him by the Duke : and further, that he Ihpuld have
Brefcia ceded to him, till he could make himfelf
matter of Verona -, after which, the former ihould be
rcftored to them ^. •

Before the death of the late Duke, Pope Nicholas -f
had taken pains to re-eftabli(h peace amongft all the

that of Tufcany, by virtue of a treaty hetv^ixt mod of the Powers
of Europe: bi;i the Queen qf Spain and her Son were content to re-
liuquifli their interelf in thofe Duchies, in confideration of Don
Caiios^s beiiuf confirmed in the Dominions of Naples and Sicily, by
the Houfe otAuftria, in the year 1736, But by the treaty of Aix lsi
Chapelle, in the year 1748, the Duchies of Parma, Pls^cen'tia, and
Ouaftalla, were ceded to Philip Duke of Parma» fecond Son of the
Queen of Spain, and Brother to Don Carlos.

• Philip Maria Vifconti leaving only a natural daughter, whom he
had given in marriage to Frai>cis Sfor;^a, feveral Princes laid claim
to the Duchy of Milan. The Emperor Frederic III, pretended it
was efcheated to the Empire, as the lad Duke left no legitimate
children. Alphonfo, King of Naples, founded his claim upon that
Puke^s will, in which he had appointed him his heir. The Duke ot
Orleans alledged the right of copfanguinity 5 he being the fon of
Valentina, the Duke's iifter. Sforza urp^ed, that the fan^e Duke had
adopted him, and added to thi9, his wife*8 right. Spondan. Annal,
^d ann. 1447. No. vii. From thefe oppofite pretenUons, therefore,
the Citizens of Milan thought they had a fair opportunity of turning
their, dtate into a Republic : for which purpofe, having eleóled twelve.
Magiftrates, whom they ftiled " Confervators of the Peace," they
tore the late Duke*s will to pieces, and appointed Sforza General of
their army. The laft part of their conduci was very imprudent,
and lUfuited to the defign they had of eilablifhing a republican go-
vernment in their city. They did not confider, that no oircumftanc^
can be moi^e favourable to a man, who wants to get poiTelfìon of a
iTceptre, than the putting a fword into his hand j " ben con<venendofi
lajpada a quella mano che 'vuole fcettro " Vianoli. Hift. Venet. torn. i.
p. 604. Spòndanus obferves very juftly, that feveral cities fell into
ila very at that time, through an excefs of eagernefs to avoid it.
Faflions arofe within thofe cities: fometiraes they would have one
form of government, and fometimes another 5 and when one of thefe
faólions got the upperhand, it (liewed no mercy to the other. Wa«
not this paving the way for flavery ? Mediolanenfes fervonds per ft li-
hertatis impotenUs erant.; &, ut in his fieri mos erat civitatum Ualicantm^
tllamfueri quarentes, mutuis diffenfionibus crudeUuttibufquefacilioremfer^
n/ituti *viamfiernebant, Spondan. Annal. ad ann. 1449. No. 7.

"t This Pontif obliged the Antipope Felix V. to renounce all hi^
l^reteoiiions to the Papacy, celebrated a Jubilee in the year 1450, and

Princes

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ppok VI. O F F L O R E N C E. j^i

Princes of Jtaly. For which purpofc, he ufcd hi^
pndcavours with the Ambafladors whom the Floren-
tines had fent to congratulate him upop his exaltacioa
p the Pontificate, that a conference might be h^ld
at Ferrara, in order to treat of a lifting peace, or
at lead a long ceflation of arms. Accordingly a le-
gate was difpatched by his Iio)inefs, to meet th^
Plenipotentiaries appointed to affembl^ at that City
by the Venetians, the Duke of Milan, and the Flo?
rcntines : but King Alphonfo did not fend any thi-
ther. He then lay at Tivoli * with a gr^at body both
pf horfe and fopt, ready to fupport the Duke in any
undertaking ; and it was generally thought that a^
foon as they could draw the Count over to their in-,
terefts, they wopld openly attack the Venetians and
Florentines : and that they were only amufing theni
in the mean while with talking of a peace at Fer«
rara, to give the Count time to get with his forces
into Lombardy. For though Alphonfo did not fend
finy Ambaflador to the conference there, he gave
them to underftand he would ratify whatever the
Duke fliould think proper to ^ree ta It continued
inany days, and there were warm debates whether a
truce for five years, or an abfolute peace Ihould be
concluded : at lad, all parties confented that it (hould
be left to the Duke of Milan's option to determine
ppoq either one or the other, as- he liked belt; but

.crowned the Emperor Frederick IH. but being terrified with.a con-
ipiracy formed againft him and the Cardinals, by Stephen Porcari
(an account of which the reader will meet with towards the end of
this book) and the taking of Conftantinople by the Turks, he fell
iick and died, in 1455. He was a great reftorer and favourer of
learning. He gave many thoufand books to the Vatican Library, of
>srhich, feme fay, he was the Founder $ and coUedked a vaft number
of Greek and Latin Manufcripts, at an incredible expence. Patina*
^ The ancient Tibiir of the Romans. It is in the Campagna di
Roma, fituated upon the River Teverone» about 18 mUe^ tq tilie
Eaft of Rome. The Palace of the family of Efte, Dukes of Modena,
which was built here by Cardinal Hippolyto d* Efte, is much ad-
mired for its Architefture, Sculpture, Paintings, noble Gardens an4
Waterworks. Tivoli is now a little town, but the See of a Biihop^
and fubjcft to the Duke of Modena, proprietor of the magnificent
f alade abovermentioned,

his

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394 T H E H I S T O R y Book Vf,

his Plenipotentiaries, who returned to Milan to
know his plcafure in that^ refpeft, did not arrive
there till after he was dead/ Upon which event, the
Milanefe were defirous to have a Peace : but the Ve-
netians now refufcd to ftand to their agreement, ais
they began to entertain ftill greater hope^ of making
themielves matters of all their territories ; and feeing
that Lgdi and Placentia had immediately lubmitted
to them ypon the death of the Duke, they made no
doubt of reducing ali the reft of his dominions, ci-
ther by treaty or dint of arms, before any body could
come to their fuccour •, efpccially as the Florentines
were at that junfturc upoq the point of being em-
broiled in a war with King Alphonfo.
- That Prince was then at Tivoli (as we have juft
now faid) and being determined to profecute his de-
iigni upon Tufcany, according to the plan that had
been concerted betwixt him and the late Duke, thought
the war, which was now begun in Lombardy, would
give, him a fair opportunity of fo doing, .and of get-
ting fome footing in the Florentine dominions, before
he proceeded to an open rupture with them : for
which purpofe, having entered into a correfpondence
with foime perfons in Cennina, a fortrefs that lies in
the upper part of the Vale of Arno, he foon after
made himfelf matter of it. The Florentines were
iiot a little alarmed at this unexpefted ftroke ; and
feeing the King h^d no^ porpmcnced hoftilities, they
immediately augmented their forces, created a Council
ef 3V», and made all other neceffary preparations for
war, with the utmoft diligence and expedition. On
theotlicr hand. King Alphonfo had already advanced
with his whole army into the territories of Siena, and
tried all the nipans he could think of to get poffef-
fion of that City ^ : but the Sienefe continued fo firm

. • Siena is the capital pf the Sienefe, in the Duchy of Tufcany,
fituatcd on an eminence, in a very fruitful and pleafant Country.
It IS about four miles in circumference, encompaffed with ^ ruinouf
old wall> and defended by a citadel. The town is thinly inhabited,
but elegantly builr» and the' Cathedral efleemed one of the fineft

to

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^ok VI. OF FLORE N C E. 35^^

to their alliance with the Florentines, that they would
neither open their own gates to him, nor admit him
into any other plac^ under their jurifdidtion. Thejr
condefcended fo far however, as to furnifli him plen-
tifully with provifions : for which, they thought, their
own weaknefs and the ftrcngth of the enemy would
be a fufficicnt excufe.

The King therefore gave up his defign of invading
Tufcany by the way of the Vale of Arno, as he had
at firft intended ; for the Flpreniines had not only re-
taken Cennina, but were pretty well provided with
forces to oppofe him in that part of the Country:
upon which account, he fuddenly turned off towards
Volterra, and furprized tnany fortreffes in that neigh*
bourhood. From thence he advanced into the terri-
tories of Pifa, where by the affiftance of Henrico and
Fazio de' Conti, heads of the Gherardcfchi family^
he took feveral Caftles ; which gave him an oppor-
tunity of making an aflault upon Campiglia, though
he did not fucceed in it; as it was refolutely main-
tained by the Florentines, and they were favoured
in their defence by the winter feafon. The King
therefore having left fufficient garrifons in the places
which he had taken, not only to maintain them, but
to make excurfions into the neighbouring Countries^ '
retired into quarters with the reft of his army in the
territories of Siena. And the Florentines being now
fecured from all further danger by the feafon of the
year, began to raife more forces with all pofiible di-
ligence, and appointed Frederic Lord of Urbino,
and Gifmondo Malatcfta Governor of Rimini, their •
Generals. For though there had been an inveterate
enmity betwixt thofe two Commahders, yet their difi

fieces of Gothic Archlte^ure in Italy, It is the Sec of an Arch*
iftiop, and an Univerfity; and here is an Academy Ukewife of Li*
terati.- The Sienefe are faid to fpeak the Italian language with
greater purity than any other people. The City is at prefent fubjed:
JO the great Duke of Tufcany, who "has been fovercign of it etcr
fjnce the year 15555 till which time it was a powerful Republic»
and often contended with the Florentines for empire. The £m«
peror of Germany Is now poffeOTed of it as grand Buket>f Tufcan^r,

fcrencct

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0i THEHISTORY Book VI.

f^rtncts were at laft fo happily compofed by the pru-
dence of Neri Capponi, and Bernardetto de' Medici»
ibp Florentine Commi^ries, that they took the field
lOfen in the; deptlv of winter, and having recovered thofe
l^bces that hd4 been taken from them in the terri»
l^iea of Jt^ifa, and Volterra» they fo bridled th^ icx^
corfions of Alphonfo's garrifons, which before ufecj
10 fco^r all ^ coafts that lay upon the Sea, that they
y^re kardly able to fupport themfelves in (he towns
cbey were left to defend.

At the return of the Spring the Commiflarics af^
jjémbkd their whole army at Spedeletto, which con-
£(|ed of five thoufand horfe, and two thòufand foot ;
jind King Alphonfo advanced with all his forces like-
wifek aopouAting to fifteen thoufand, within a league
of Campiglia. But when every body expefted he
f90g}d have fat down again before that place, he fudT
dienly turned afide to Piombino, imagining he could
l^afiAy make himfelf mailer of it» as it was but inr
dif&rentiy provided for a (iege : and he knew if he
(hpuld fuccced in the attempt, it would be very ad-
vantageous to himfelf, and of the utmoit prejudice
to the Florentines: for being in poffcflion of that
tpwn, he (hould be plentifully furnifhed with all man-
pe^ oif provifions by Sea, and have it in his power to
4iiftcefs the Florentines to the laft degree, by laying
ibci whole Country round Pifa under contribution,
and ipoDÌngout the war as long as he pleafed. The
IjlpFCBtines were not a little alarmed at this ftepj
bUiC having confidered what was beft to be done in
xhtit circunnftances, they thought if their forces
could gain the thickets and woody defiles. of Cam-
p^i^ they might oblige the King either to make a
Ihamefui retreat, or fight them at a manifeft difad-
vaniage. For this, purpofe, they armed four Ga*
kaflcs * at Leghorn, and having embarked three

' •> OaleaiTes, or double Galliet» arc large, low built, heavy veffelsi
wbicli ufe both fails and oars, and are the biggelt of all the veflels
that go with the lattefeltf^fy carry generally about twenty guns,
aa4 a great number of WST^ngi^jjpiftÉfcp chiefly ia the Aern or

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Book Vi. O t i^ L Ó R È N C È. ^

hundred Soldiers on board of them, tfaejr fouitit
tticai^ to throw them , into Piombino : after wbich^
their army polled itfelf at Caldane, tvhcrc it could
not be attacked without much difficulty, jud^g cfittr
fafer upon fecond thoughts, than to lie amongfl: woods
and thickets, or upon an open plain, where ihey
muft of courfe be expofcd to great danger. Thcit^
fupplies of provifions they drew from the neighbbtitv
ing towns, which being few in number, and thitily
inhabited, were not able to furnilh them with a ftìf*
ficient quantity: fo that they were in great Wiifity
efpecially of wine : for as there was none produced ift
thofe parts, and they could not then get mudh itoei
other places, it was not poflible there flioutd be
enough for every one. But the King's ai'my^ noi*
withftanding all the endeavours of the FlorentètìJes to
cut ojQf its communication with the Country, having
the Sea ftill open, was j^entifully fupplied with all-
manner of neceflaries, except fofage* Of whifch thtf
Florentines being aware, refolved to try if they cou^^
not likewife furnilh their troops with provtflons tar
the fame manner : but having loaded their four Ga-
leafles with provifions, and fent them to Seafor diar
purpofe, they were met by feven of tte :Kii!ig*$ Vd-
fels which took two of them, and obliged the other»
to return into port. This difafter having utterly ejt-*
tinguiftred the hopes which their forces had conceive
of being fupplied with provifions by Sea, one of their
foraging parties which confifted of above two hifMI»J
died, deferted, and went over to the King^ chieftjr
for want of wine ; and many others began tomurmuf^*
and faid they would ftay no longer in that hot Coun^

poop9 With three mafts, and a btDwfprit, which are aever to be take»
down or lowered, as they may be in Gallies4£rhey have thirty twd
benches of rowers, and nve or fix men to iSch bench, with three
fires of guns in the head, one over the other, of two guns each,
which carry thirty-fix, twenty-four, and ten pounders. TAe Ve^
netians are now the only people that ufe Galeafies x The French
ihade iirfe of them formerly. Scaliecr is of opinion, that what Pliny
calls Long Ships, were what we call Galeaifes, th^ firft whereof was
that bf the Argonauts^

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59* T H E H I S T O R Y Bòdk Vt:

try, where there was no wine to be had, and the
water was fo bad they could hardly drink it.

The Commiflaries therefore, at laft determined to
quit that ftation, and endeavour to retake fome other
Caftles, which ftill remained in the hands of the
King ; who perceiving that his army (though ic did
not want any fort of provifion, and was much fope-
rior to that of the enemy) was likewife; diminifhcd
every day by the diftempers which are incident to
thofe fwampy parts that lie near the Sea (efpecially in
t^ heat of Summer) and which Taged at that time
'with fuch fury, that numbers fell fick, and many
died. Each fide being thus diftrcflcd, fome overtures
of peace were made, in which the King demanded
fifty tboufand Florins by way of indemnification for
the expence he hatd been at, and that Piombino (hould
be left to his mercy ; which terms after they had been
canvafied at Florence, many who were defirous of a
peace feemed inclinable to accept -, alledging that they
co^ld not fee any probability of coming off with ad-
.\fttitage in a war that mufb be fiipported at fo vaft an
expence. But Neri Capponi going himfelf to Flo-
rence, ufed fuch arguments to diffuadc them from it,
that the Citizens at laft unanimoufly agreed not to
make thofe concefilons ; and not only took the Lord
of Piombino under their protedion, but pronjifed to
fupport him cffcólually both in peace and war, pro-
vided he would te faithful to them, and defend the
town for the future in the manner he had alread/
done» Of which refolution, King Alphonfo was foon
'informed, and feeing his army fo diminifticd by fick-
nefs, that he had no hopes of reducing that town,
he immediately raifed his Camp in as much confufion
and diibrder as if he had been routed : and having
loft above two thoufand of his men, he retreated with
the reft of his army in a feeble and languilhing con-
dition into the territories of Siena : from whence he
returned after fome time into his own kingdom, highly
enraged at the Florentines, whom he threatened with
a frclh invafion at the return of the fpring.

Whilft

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Wbilft tkings were upon this, footing in TAifcaay^
Count Sforza being in Lombardy and now appp^n^ed.
Commander in chief of the Mpanefe forces» cndea'
voured in the firft place, to make Francifco Piccinino
his friend,, who was likewife in their fervice ; that to.
he might.be induced to favour him in his fiuure un-
dertaking, or at leaft not to oppofe him with much
vigour : after which, he took the field with his whole.
army. The inhabitants or Pavia therefore, being. ap--
prebenfive they (hould not be able to defend thcrp^,
lelves againft fo great a force,.. and at the fame tinact
very loath to be governed by the Milanefe,; made tt^
Count an offer ot their City ; provided he would nof
fuffcr them to fall under the domination of that Statai.
The Count was very defirqus of getting poflcffloo Of
Pavia, as he thought that would be an aufpicious be»j
ginning, and furnifh him with a colourable preteucc
to profecute his other defigns ; nor was he at all re-,
(trained either by Ihame, or the fear of being re*,
proached with breaking his word ; fpr great men con>
monly think it a diftionour toJofe, but an honour to
gain any thing,, even by fraudulent and perfidious
means. But he was afraid if he accepted the offer»
he (hould exafperate the Milanefe to fuch a degreje,
that*they would throw themfclves into the arms of the
Venetians -, and if he did not, he thought the Pavians
would put thcmfclves under the protedion of the'
Puke of Savoy, to which, many of them fecnicd
very much inclined : and in either of thofe cafes^ he
plainly faw he fliould have no further chance of rnak*
ing himfelf matter of Lombardy. However, as there
feemed to be lefs danger in taking that City himfelf,
than in letting it fall into the hands cf another, he de*
termined to accept of it ; perfuading himfelf, that he
ibould be able to find fome way or other, of pacifying
the Milanefe. For which purpofe, he reprefented to
them the extremities they muft have been reduced
to if he had not afted in that manner; fince othcr-^
wife, the Pavians would certainly have given up theic
City either to the Venetians, or the Duke of Savoys

and

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yoà tHEHisfOttt Èodk vi;

and then the State of Milan would have been ut*
terly ruined : that it muft therefore be much better
fbr thenii to have him for their neighbour, who was
their friend and ally, than an enemy, and a ver/
|)OwerfuI one too, as either of thfe others would
be. But the Milanefe having now difcovered the
Count's ambitious defìgns, and the objeA he had
ptincipally in view, were not a little alarmed : they
thought proper, however^ to dillbmble for a time^
becaufe if they broke with the Count, they did not
know whom elfe to have recourfe to, except the Ve-
netians, whofc intolerable arrogance, and tyrannical
manner of governing, they could not think of with-
out dread and abhorrence. They refolved therefore
not to detach themfelves from the Count at that time^
but to avail themfelves of his afliftance for a whiles
to guard them agaihft the dangers with which they
were then threatened, hoping that when they were!
extricated from thofe difficulties, they Ihould find
fomc means to get rid of him. For they expefted td'
be attacked not only by thè Venetians, but by the
Gcnoefe, and alfo by the Duke of Savoy, in behalf
of Charles of Orleans, who was Son to a Sifter of
Philip the late Duke of Milan. But the Count hav-
ing foòn quieted the two laft, had no other enemy
left to deal with but the Venetians, who were de-
termined to invade the Milanefe with a powerful
arniy, and had already got pofleffion of Lodi and
Flacentia ; the latter of which however, was now ih-
vefted by the Count, and, after a long fiège, retaken
and plundered by his foldiers, whom he then fent
into quarters (as the winter was coming on) and re-
tired himfelf to Cremona, where he fpent the reft of
that feafon in repofe with his family.

Early in the Spring, both the Milanefe and the
Venetian armies appeared in the field ; the former be-
ing very defirous to recover Lodi alfo, and after-
Ivards, if poflible, to come to fome accommodation
with the Venetians -, for as they found the expences
of the war were Hkely to be very heavy, and grew

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Book VL, O F F L O R E N C E. 401

more and more fufpicious of their General^ they ai'w
dently longed for a peace ; that fo they mighc guard
againil the defigns of the County and afterwards cn^
joy thcmfclves •in quiet and tranquillity after their
troubles. They refolded, therefore, that their forces
Ihould lay fiege to Caravaggo, imagining, that if they
could make xhemfelvcs mailers of that fòrtrefs^ Lodi
woold focya be forced to furrcnder. The Count
obeyed thSr orders, though it was his own defire to
have paflcd the Adda, and fallen into the territories
of Brefcia : and having fet down before Caravaggio^
he fortified his Camp in fuch 'a manner with ditches
and ramparts, that the Venetians could not attack
him but at a very great difadvantage. They ad-
vanced, however, under the command of their Ge-
neral Micheletto Attenduli, within two bow (hots of*
• him, where they continued fcvcral days^ and had
frequent fkirmifhes with his forces. But he Hill car-
ried on the fiege, and reduced the caftlc to fuch ex^
tremities, that it could not hold out much longer:
at which, the Venetians were exceedingly mortified,
as they apprehended the lofs of that fortrefs would
totally defeat all their other defigns in that expe-
dition. After many difputes amongft the Comman-
ders concerning the means of relieving it^ there
fcemed no way left but to attack the Count in his
, trenches^ which yet could not be done without ex-
. trcme hazard : but they had fet their hearts fo much
upon the prefcrvation of Caravaggio^ that the Ve-
netian Senate, though naturally timorous and averi^
to any doubtful undertakings chofe rather to run the
rifque of a defeat, than lofe the Caftle,. and with iti
all further hopes of fuccefs in their grand enterprize.
With a refolutiort, therefore, to attack him at all
events,' they got under arms very early next morn-
ing, and falling upon that part of his Camp which
was the weakeft, they at firft threw his whole army
into fome diforder, as it generally happens in fuck
fudden and unexpefled aifaults. But the Count foon
^.rallied bis men in fuchi a manner, that the enemy.
Vol.. I. D d after

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4^3 T H E H I S T O R Y Book VF.

after many attempts to force his trenches, were no€
only repulfed, but fo totally routed and difpcrfedy
that out of twelve thoufand horfc,.of which their
army confided, not quite one thoufaftd efcaped v and
as all theirs baggage and carriages atfo felF into th«
hands of the Count's foldicrs, it was the greateft de-
feat, and the heavieft lofe, the Venetians had ever
luftained before that time. - *

Amongft the reft of the prifoners that w^ere taken,^
there happened to be one of the Venetian provedi-
tores, who, during the whole courfc of the war, and
particularly a Httlc before the battle, had fpokcn in-
Very contemptuous terms of the Count, calling him
a Bqftard and a Coward ', but when he found himfelf
at his mercy, and recoUcded what he had done,
jnaking no doubt but he (hould be punilhed as be
.^ally deferved, he threw hirafclf, trembling and*
weeping, at the Count's knees, and (as it is the na-
ture of bafe fpirits, to be infolent in profperity, and
abjed in adverfity) humbly bcfought him to pardon»
his offence. Upon which, the Count lifting him up
from the ground, bid him take courage, and fear no
harm r but fuid, '^ he could not. help wondering that
a perfon of prudence and gravity, as he affefted ta
be thought, fhould be guilty of fuch ill manners a&
I he had been, in fpeaking fo injurioufly of a perfon
who had done nothing to dcfcrve it from him : that^
as to the things which he had reproached, him with,
he neither could pofllbly know, nor prevent \yhat had
paffed betwixt his father and mother . before he was
born, and therefore ought neither to be applauded
nor upbraided for their adions : but that be would
Irenture to affirm one thing however, which was, diat
lìnee he was capable of ading for himfeW, her had be-
haved in fuch a manner, as not to merit reprc-
henfion from any one: of which, both he, and tós
Senate ' bad many and recent proofs." And haviog
advifed him to be more modeft for the fa ture, in fpeak-
ing of others, and to proccei with greater caution

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Book VI. O F^ F L O R E N C E. 40J

and deliberation in the execution of military under^-
takings, he dilmifled him. ^

After this advantage, the Count marched with his
viAorious armyTinto the territories of Brefcia,' and
having prefently over-run all the •adjacent Country,
encamped within two miles of the City. The Ve-
netians, on the other hand, after their late defeat,
having reafon to apprehend that it would not be long
(as indeed it happened) before he made an attempt .
«pon Brefcia, had fortified it as well, and with as
much expedition, as their circumftances woqld ad-
mit : after which, they began to raife frefli forcefe
with great diligence, and having colle6ted fome fcat-
- tered remains of their late army, applied to the Flo-
rentines for the fuccours they were obliged by treaty
to furnifti them with, in cafe of neceffity. And the
Florentines, being now no longer embroiled in the
war with King Alphonfo, accordingly fent two thou-
fand horfe, and one thoufand foot to their afTiftance :
all which reinforcements put them in a condition to^
treat of peace. ^^ -

It had almoft always been the good fortune of the
Venetian Republic to recover twice as much by treaty,
as they had loft in an unfuccefsful war ; end the/
now knew that the Milanefe were exceedingly fufpi-
cious of the Count's dcfigns -, that the Count was not
content with being mnrely the Commander of their
forces, but fecretly afpired to be abfolute Soverèìgh
of Milan : and that it was in their own option to con-
clude an alliance with either of them 5 as one fide
'would naturally i>c prompted to join them by ambi-
tion, and the other by fear. But having maturely
confidercd the matter, they determined to come to an
«ccommodariotn wi^tii the Count, and to offer him
their affiftance for the redudion of Milan, imagining,
that when the Milanefe faw they were betrayed by
the Count, it would provoke them to fuch a degree,
«that they would throw themfdves into any other
hands, rather than fubmit to htm; and that when
they were reduced to fuch circumftances, that they •

P d 2 • could

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404 T H E H I S T O'R Y Book VI

could neither defend thcmfclves, nor put any furthci?
confidence in the Count, (having no other refuge)
«hey muft of courfe fly to them for protedion. Hav-
ing conic to this rcfolution» thejr began to tamper
with the County whom they found very wsll difpolcd
to a peace, efpecially when he perceived that he him-
firlf (hould thereby reap the fruits of the late viélory
àt Caravaggio, which would otherwife redound to
the honour and emolument of the Milanefe alone. ^
A treaty, therefore, was foon concluded betwiu
them, by which the Venetians obliged themfelves . to
pay the. Count thirteen thuufand Florins a month, tiU
he had conquered Milan ; and to furnifti him witk
four thoufand horfe, and, two thou'fand foot, as long
«s the war lafted -, and the Count, on the other hand,
engaged to rettore to the Venetians, all the towns
-and prifoners, and whatever clfc he had taken from
.them, during the courfc of the war : and to reft con*
tent with fuch places only^ as were in the poflTeffion
(of Duke Philip, at i he time of his death.

When the news of this treaty arrived,at Milan, the
inhabitants of that City were much more dejefted at it,
^than they had been elated with their vi^ory at Cara-
vaggio 5 the Governors complained, the commpa
4)eople were outrageous, the women and children
wept bitterly, all of them exclaiming againft the
Count, as a traitor andperfidiom wnteh-^ and though
they had not any great hopes left of being able to pre-
vail upon him, eii^hcr by entreaties, petitions, or pror
mifes, to change the refolution he had taken; yet
they fent ambaffadors to him, to fee what he could
iay for himfelf, and what face he put upon fo un-
grateful and wicked a manner of proceeding. When
they were introduced into his prefence, one of thena
thus addreded himfelf to him :

" Thofe that feek to obtain any end, commonly
hiakc ufe either of fupplications, gratuities, or me^
jnaces, to thofe whom they have to deal with, in hopef
that being tithei* moved by compaffion, biafled by
ieif-ibtercftj or terrified with threats, they may atlaft

be

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^ofc VI. O F F L O R E N C E. 405

fee induced to comply with their requefts : but as
none of thefe three different methods of application
make any impreflion upon hard-hearted and rapacious
men, and fuch as are buoyed up with an opinion of
their own great power and fignificance, thofe that
endeavour either to fofcen them by entreaties, gain
them by prefents, or frighten them with menace?-,
vrill foon have the mortification to find they are la-
bouring to no porpoic. As we have, therefore, at
laft, thoitgh too lace, difcòvcred the cruelty, the am-
bition, and the pride of your heart; we are no>v
come, not to a(k any favour, nor with the leaft ex-
peftation of obtaining ir, if we fliould alk ; but to
remind you of the kindneflTes you have received from
tiie people of Milan, and to upbraid you with the
ungrateful manner in which you have requited them:
thac fo amongii the numberlefs miferies and calami-
ties which you have brought upon us, we may at
Jeaft enjoy the pleafure of reproaching you with them.
Kecolleift the circumftances you were in after the death
of Duke Philip. You were at enmity with the Pope,
and the King of Naples. The Florentines and Vene-
tians, whom you had fo bafely deferted, could not help
rcfcnting the affront, though they had no further oc-
cafion for your fervice, and looked upon you as an
enemy. You were debilitated and exhaufted by the
Vf3iv in which you had been engaged againft the Church ;
you were left in a manner without men^ without mo-
ney, wkhout friends, or any hopes of being able to
prcferve your own dominions, and former reputation,
which muft have been inevitably loft, if we had not
been fimplc enough to take you into our bofom, out
of the reverence we bore to the memory of our late
Duke, with whom you had entered into fuch treaties,
and contraftcd fo near an alliance, that we had ccafon
>io expeft the affeétbn you profefled for him, would
have defcended to his fubjefts 5 and that when you
cotifidered how many favours we had added to thofc
you received from the Dufee, the union betwixt us
i^ould have continued fir^ and indiffolublè : upon

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4d6 tHE HISTORY Book VI.

which account, we not only punduall^Fulfilled all
his former engagements with you, but gave you the
adual poffeflion of Brefcia too, till you could make
yourfclf matter of Verona. What could- we cither
give, or promife you more ? What greater favours
could you have received, or even hoped for at that
time, we do not fay from us, but from any other
State ? — For thefe unexpefted kindnefles, you have
recompenccd us in a manner, which, we muft own,
was likewifc altogether unexpeded and undeferved by
us. Nor was this the firft inftance of your perfidy :
for no fooner were you invcfted with the command
of our forces, but you took poffeflion of Pavia for
yourlelf, contrary to all the laws of juftice and equity :
from which firft fample of your fricndftiip, we qjighc
wellhave learned, what we had to cxpedl from you
for the future. This injury, however, we bore with
patience, in hopes that fo great an acquifition would
have fatiated your ambition : but alas ! we find to
our forrow, that fuch as grafp at the whole, will ne-
ver be content with a part. — You promifed, that we
fhould enjoy all the conquefts you afterwards made,
well knowing, that what you gave us atfeveral times,
you could take from us all at once ; as it has hap-
pened in fa (ft fi nee the viftory of Caravaggio, which
being purchafed at the expencc of our blood and
treafure, has been unhappily perverted to our ruin.
Wretched are the States that are obliged to be con-
tinually in arms, to defend their liberties againft the
attempts of ambitious invaders ; but much more fo
are thofe that are forced to employ mercenary and
perfidious foldiers, like you, for that purpofe. May
our fate, however, be a warning to pofterity, though
we ourfelves were fo infatuated, as not to remember
iiow the Thebans were treated in the like circum»
ftances by Philip of Macedon; who, after he had
been their General, and conquered their enemies, in
the firft place turned their enemy himfeif, and then
slurped the fqvereignty over them. We, for our
parts, cannot \Vixh juftice be accufed. of any other

fault,

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Book VI. OF F L O 1^ E N C R 407 ^

fault, but of having put too much confidence in a
perfon whom we ought not to have truftcd at all 5
Specially if we had called to mind his former beha-
viour, and been upon our guard, as we ought to
have, been, .^ainft his reftlefs and unbounded am-
bition, whici} was nev^r fatis6ed in any fiate or con-
dition : a perfon who had betrayed the Lord of Lucca,
extorted fuch vaft fums from the Florentines and. Ve-
netians, treated our late Prince with conteippt, in-
fulted a King, and (which was ftill more heinous)
had rebelled againft God, and perfecuted his Church
in fo atrocious a mannef. We ought not, indeed, to
have flattered ourfelves, that fuch a man would treat
the Milanefe with more refpetì: than he had done
thofe great and powerful States ; nor to have^ ex-
pciEted, that one who had fo often violated his en-
gagements with others, would ever be faithful to ua.
The imprudence, however, for which others may
condemn us, can be no excufe for your treachery,
«or fkreen you from the infamy with which you will
be ^branded, when it is known to the world how
«nuch reaibn we have to make thefc complaints* Does
€iot your own confcience reproach you ? Do you feel
Tio remcrfe when you refleà, that you have turned
thofe arms upon ourfclves, which we had taken up
*to defend our laws and liberties againft the invafions
of others ? We appeal to your own breaft. Do you
-not look upon your/elf as a Parricide ? Can you deny
that you deferve the fevereft and moft exemplary of
all puniQimenis? But if you are fo blinded by am-
bition, that you are not capable of judging yourfelf,
the whole world has been witnefe of your iniquities,
and will rife up in evidence againltyou : God him-
felf will open your eyes, and make you fenfible of
' your mifdeeds, if the. moft flagrant perfidy», if per-
jury and treafon are crimes in his fight : tltOt^S^Ji-
deed, his Divine Providence fometimes permitslEfi^
wicked to efcape with impunity for a while (as tW
cafe may be at prefent^ to be the inftruments of his
ivengeance, and to bring about Jbme great and gooci -
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4^58 THE HÌ S TORY Book VI.

purpofc that is indifcerniblc to our eyes. Flatter not
yourfelf, therefore, with the hopes of certain vic-t
tory^ You have little reafon to expect the favour o^
Heaven; and we, for our parts, are determined K>
defend our liberties like men, and in c|i^ we cannoc
preferve them, to fubmit to any othcr'Prince, rather
than wear your, yoke. But if, as a chaftifement for
eur fins, and in fpitc of our utmoft endeavours to the
contrary, we ^ihould have the misfortune after all, to
become fubjeól to you, depend upon it, that a do-
minion ufurpcd by fraud, and founded in vioJehce,
will end with ignominy, and utter dcftruólion io
yourfelf or your children.-'

The Count, though inwardly (lung with thefe re-
proaches, did not (hew any extraordinary emotion, ci^
Ipher in his countenance or geftures, but calmly^ re-
plied, \* that as they fcemed blinded with pafTion,
he (bould in fome meafure overlook their indifcretion
and ill language, and the high provocation they had
given him in fo injurious a charge; to every parti-
cular of which, he would, however, have returned
jm anfwer, if there had been any body prefent that
was capable of judging betwixt ihem : as he could
make it plainly appear, that he h^d never yet injured
the Miianefe in the leaft degree ; and that all his paft
^endeavours had been only to prevent them from in-
juring him. That they could not help remembering
in what manner they had behaved to him, after the
battle of Caravaggio j when, inftead of rewarding
hirn for his fervices with the free gift of either Brcf-
pia or Verona, as they had promifed, they were fe- .
pretly negotiating a peace with the Venetians; that
fo the odium of the quarrel might be throwji upon
Jiim alone, whilft they ran away with the fruits of
thp vi6ory, the merit of concluding a peace, aird
^11 the other advantages he had gained them» in th^
fTOurfe of that war. They had no reafon to com-
plain, therefore, be faid, that he had made his peace
with the Venetians, fince they had endeavoured to do
fo f |if (pfelvps : an4 that if he had deferred it a litilc

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Book VI. O F F L O R E N C E. 409

longer, it muft have fallen to bis lot to reproach ibem
with that ingratitude of v^hich they nowaccufed bimi
bue with what truth, the famfe God, whom* they had
fo folemnly called upon to avenge the injuries they
pretended to have received, would not fail to flicw,
at the end of the war -, when it would be feen, he
inade no doubt, which of them had juftice on their
fide, and was moft favoured by Heaven."

Af^er the Count had thus difmiflcd the Ambaffa-
dòrs, he began to make preparations' for invading the
Milanefe ; and they being determined to defend them-
felves, took Francifco and Giacopo Piccinino into
their pay (who out of the ancknt jealoufy that fub-
fifted betwixt the Braccefcan and Sforzefcan parties,
bad al wayatfaithfully adhered to the MilancfeJ in hopes
of being able by their affiftance to prefcrve their li-
berties -, efpecially if they could find feme means to
detach the Venetian^ from the Count, who they
thought would not very long continue fo ftri(5Uy unit-
ed. The Count was of the fame opinion, and there-
forejudged it the beft way to ftrengthen the coqfe-?
deracy betwixt them, by motives of felf-intereft, fince
other obligations and engagements did not appear to
him fufBcient. For this purpofe, in concerting their
plan of operations for the profecution of the war, iie
propofcd that they (hould lay fiege to Crema *, whilft
he with the reft of their forces over-run the other
parts of that State. The Venetians fwallowed the
bait, and continued firm to the Count till he had made
himfelf matter of all the territories depending upon
Milan, and reduced the City itfelf to fuch extremities
by cutting off all communication with the Country,
and preventing any provifions from being brought
into it, that the Citizens defpairing of relief from any
other quarter, fent AmbafTadors to befeech the Vene-*

f Crema is the capital of a little Country, called Cremafco, i;ipon

the river Serio, which joins the A^ósl upon the borders of the Mi-
anefe. There is a fine Palace and a Caftle, with other fortiii-
f:ation8, which now make it fomething conliderable ; though it wat
formerl)^ but an ordinary town. It is the See of a 3iihop, and at prt •
ffut fubjéft to the Venetians. *

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4iq THE HISTORY Book VL

liafV» to comtniferate their condition, and affift them
in defending their liberties, as all good Republicans
ought to flo, rather than fupport a Tyrant in his am-
bitious defigns, whofe career they would not after-
wards be able. ta check at their pleafure, if he {hould
«ver get poffeffion of Milan : infinuating at the fame
time, that they muft not expetì: he would be content
with that part of the Duchy which was to fali to his
Ihare by the treaty he had fo lately entered into with
^hcm ;. fince it was well known he afpired to the
whole,

. But the Venetians were not yet matters of Crema,
and being loth to change fides till they were in pof-
feffion of it, they anfvJ'ered the Ambafladors in pub-
lic, " that as they were in alliance wichlihe Count,
they could not fend the Milanefe any fuccour :" but
in private they fpoke in different terms, and defired
them to tell their mafters, that they might depend
upon their affiftance.

, The Count had now drawn his forces fo near Mi-
lan, that he made an aflault upon the fuburbs : and
the Venetians having at laft taken Crema, thought it
high time to relieve ^the Milanefe ; for which purpofc
chey entered into a treaty with them, and engaged
themfclves by the firft article of it to maintain them
in the full enjoyment of their liberties. Accordingly,
as foon as the treaty was figned, they fent orders to
juch of their forces as were with the Count to leave
his camp, and join the reft of their own army: ac-
quainting the Count likewifc at the fame time with
what they had donjT, and allowing him twenty days
to accede to the treaty himfelf if he pleafèd. The
Count was not at all furprized^t this event, as he had
long forefeen it, and daily expeflcd it would happen :
nevertbclcfs, when it did come to pafs. he was no
lefs chagrined at it than the Milanefe had been when
he deferred them. He therefore defired the Ambaf-
fadors who had been fent from the Senate of Venice
.to notify the treaty to hini, that they would give him
two days to eonfidcr of it,* and th^n, he faid, he

- would

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Book VI. OF FLORENCE. ^u

would return them an anfwet : during which time he
refolvcd with himfe^f to amufe the Venetians, and not
to give up his prcfent undertaking. With this dc-
fign, he publicly gave out that he would accede to
the Peace, and fent Ambaffadors to Venice, with full
power to ratify it ; piving them private inftruftions,
however, not to do it upon any account whatfocver^
but to protraft the matter as long as poffiblc with all
the cavils and artifices they could invent. And to
make the Venetians believe that he was really in car-
neft, he not only made a truce with the Milanefe for
a month, but drew off his forces from their walls^
andfent them to quarter in the neighbouring towns
which' he had taken from them. To this feint was
owing all his future fucccfs, and the ruin of the Mi-
lanefe : for the Venetians depending upon a peace,
were niòrc remifs in making preparations for war ; and
the "Milanefe feeing a truce concluded, the enemy
drawn oiF^ and the Venetians their friends, were firmly
perfuaded the Count had given up all further defign
of molefting them. A delufion that was doubly pre-
judicial to them : for in the firft place, it lulled them,
into fecurity, and made them negleét ta take proper
meafures for their 'defence ; and in the next, as the
coaft was now clear of the enemy and it happened to
be f^ed-time, they fowed vaft quantities of their grain,
which put it in the Count's power to diftrefs them fo
much the fooncr. But he on the other hand, Well
knowing how to make an advantage of their over-
fights, took the opportunity of this interval to refrefh
himfelf and his men, and to look out for other al-
lies.

During this war in Lombardy^ the Florentines had
not taken any fide, nor fbewn the leaft favour to, the
Count, either when he took part with the Milanefe,
or afterwards when he invaded them ; for as ht had
no great occafion for their afliftance, he did not aflc
it with much importunity : they had indeed fent fome
iuccours to the Venetians after the battle of Cara-
vaggio, in confequence of the alliance which then

fub-

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4xi THE HISTORY BookVn

fubfifted betwixt them. But Count Sforza being
now dcferted by the Venetians, and not knowing to
whoni elfe he could have recourfe, earneftly follicited
tlie aid of the Florentines ; for which, he applied
both publicly to the government of Florence, and
privately to his friends in that City ; particularly to
Cofimo de* Medici, with whom he had always lived
rn great intimacy, and who had conftantly not onljr
aflifted him with his advice, but furnilhcd him with
Kberal fupplies of money in all his undertakings.
Nor did he fail him in this exigency ; for he both
gave him large fums out of his own private purfe,
and encouraged him to purfue his prefcnt enterprise :
tifing all his endeavours at the fame time that fuccours
might be font him by the public ; but in this he met
with fome oppofition. For Neri Capponi, whq had
then a very great intereft in Florence, tboggljf ic
would not be confident with the fafety of the Repub'.. .
he to let the Count become matter of Milan ; rfnd
that it would conduce more to the tranquillity.of ItaLy
in general, if he acceded to the treaty of peace, in-
ftead of continuing the war. He was apprchcnfivc
in the fif ft place, that the Milanefe, in tlic height of
the refentmeat they had conceived againft the Count,
might throw themfclves entirely into the arms of the
Venetian?, which muft be attended with the ruin of
all the other Princes in Italy: and in the next, he
thought if the Count, (hould get poflcflion of Milan,
his arms, when fupported by fo powerful a ftate,
would grow too formidable ; and that if he, who was
fo troublefome whilft he was only a Count, (hould
ever conne to be a Duke, he would then be infup-
portable. For thefe reafons, he faid, it would be
much better for the Republic of Florence and ail
Italy, that the Count (hould be left to live upon the
reputation of his arms, as he had done before, and
that Lombardy fhould be divided into two Common?
wealths, which, it could hardly be fuppofed, would
agree fo well together as to unite for the ruin of any
other State, and fmgly, they could hurt nobody. To

cflfcft

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Book VI. OF FLORENCE. 41.^

cflfirft which, he knew no better expedient, than to
give a deaf ear to the Count's follicitations, and
continue in leage with their old allies the Venetians.

Thefe fuggeftions, however, made very little in>-
preflion upon Cof/oF^o's friends, who thought CapporU
did not give this advice out of any regard for the
public good, but becaufe he was jealous that Cofimo
would become too powerful by his friendftiip with
the Count, if the latter Ihould make himfelf Duke
of Milan. And Cofimo for bis own part took upoa
him to demonftrate, that affifting the Count would
be fo far from being of any prejudice either to Italy
in general, or their own Republic in particular, that
it would be of the greateft fervicc to both: fince it
was folly to imagine that the Milanefe could main-
tain their liberties, confidering the temper of the Cir
tizens, their manner of living, and the faétions* then
reigning amongft them ; all which made it impoffible»
to cftablilh a Republican form of government in that
City : fo that it muft of neceflity happen that either
the Count would become Duke, or the Venetians ab-
folutc Lords over it. And in that cafe, nobody could
be fo blind as not to fee whether it would be more
eligible to have a potent friend for their neighbour^
or an enemy whofe power would then be overgrown
and uncontroulable. Nor was it to be fearetl that
the Milanefe would ralhly put themfelves under the
dominion of the Venetians, merely becaufe they were
at war with the Count -, for the Count had a party
and friends in Milan, and they had none : upon
which account, the Citizens, when they found they
xould no longer defend their liberties, would certainly
Jbe more inclinable to fubmit to the Count than to the
Venetians-

This difference of opinion amongft the principal
Citizens, kept the Florentines for fome time in fuf*
pence: a|t laft, however, they agreed to fend Am-
bafladors with inftrudtions to conclude a treaty of al*^
liance with the Count immediately, provided they
:i}igu}d find hioi in fucb circumflances^ as made it

fcei*

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byC^oogle

414 T H E H I S T O R Y Book VI.

fcem probable that he would fuccced in his defigns 5
but, othcrwifc, to raife difficulties and objetìions, in
order to defer it. Thefe Ambaffadors were got no
further than Reggio, when they heard the Count had
taken Milan : for as foon as the truce expired, he
had fuddenly invefted that City again with all his
forces, in hopes of carrying it very foon in fpite of
the Veftetians, who could not fuccour it on any fide,
except from the Adda, and that pafs was eafily
guarded. He knew very well, that, as it was the
winter feafon, the Venetians would not be able to lie
in a camp any where near him -, and therefore made
no doubt of reducing the* town long before the re-
turn of the Spring, efpecially fince Francifco Picci-
nino was now dead, and his brother Giacopo left fole
Commander of all their forces.

The Venetians in the mean time bad fent an Am-
baflador to encourage the Milanefc to make a rcfolutc
defence, with aflurances alfo of fpeedy and effcdual
relief: and there adually happened feverai flight
ikirmiflies betwixt their troops andthofe of the Count,
during the courfe of the winter. But as foon as the
weather grew more favourable, they took the field
cinder the comrmand of Pandolpho Malatefta, and
encamped upon the banks of the Adda; where they
lield a Council of war to confider whether, in order
to fuccour Milan, they (hould attack^ the Count and
try the fortune of a battle. Pandolpho their general,
who well knew the bravery of the Count and his
troops, advifed them not to run* that rifque, and,
thought they might obtain a more certain vidory over
him by avoiding an engagement -, as the want of fo*
rage and other provifions, muft in a very fhort time,
oblige him to move his quarters. Upon this confidcF-
'ation, he perfuaded them to contiuue in the Camp
where they then lay, which would keep up the fpiri»
of the Milariefe and prevent them from furrendering
to the Count. This advice was approved of by the
Venetians, becaufe they thought it a fecure manner of
'proceeding, and were not without fomc hopes that the

MiU;^

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iòok VI. O F F LO R E N C E. 415

Milanefe, being ftifl kqDtin great diftrcfs, would atlaft
fubmit to thcro, rSther thap the Count, ,from whom
they had received fd many injuries. In the mean time
the Mllanclc were reduced to cxcrenie mifery ; for as
there was a great number of poor people in the
City, many of them dropped down dead in the ftrects
every day for want of bread : and this occaiioning
murmurs and complaints in every quarter of it, the
Governors began to be apprehenfive of an infurrcc-ì
tion, and therefore took all poiTibie means to prevent
any tumult, or aflembling of the people.

The Comity^^icy.arc not eafily excited to mifchicf;
but when they ttj'cB&t once fo difpofed, any little acci*
dent ferves to put them in motion. It happened one
day, that two perfons of no very great conTideratioa
meeting each other near the Porta Nuova, fell into a
converlation concerning the miferable condition to
which the City wijs reduced, and what means were
left to relieve it. This being over-heard by others^
jihe people infenfibly gathered about them till they
were increafed to fuch a number, that a report ^vas
fpread through the town that the inhabitants about
Porta Nuova were rifing againft the Magiftracy. Upoti
which, the populace, who only waked for a proper
opportunity, immediately ran to arms, and hariog
appointed one Gafpar da Vico Mercato to be iTieir
leader, they made fo furious an aflault upon thepdaoe
where the Magiftrates were fitting, that all thofe tl^at
could not make their efcape by flight were killed up-
on the fpot-, amongft whom was Leonardo VfencM),
the Venetian ambaflador, who had laughed at their
miferies, and was thought to be the principal occa-
fion of them. When they had thus in a manner made
themfclves mafters of the City, they began to confult
what were the moft proper means to be taken, in -or-
der to deliver theqa out of their prefent diftrefs and
reftorc their fornfier tranquillity. At laft it was una-
nimoufly agreed amongft thcn%, fince they couW no
. longer prefervc their freedom and independency, to
put themfelv^ under the prote<5tion of fome Prince

that

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\

4rf THE HISTORY Book Vf

that was able to defend them. < But they could hot (b

readily agree about the pqrfon ; fofhe propòfed King

Alphonfo, fooic the Duke of Sivoy, and others the

King of France, but nobody mentioned the Count %

fo ftrong did the refentment of the people run againft

him ! however, as they could not unite in their choice

of any other Prince, Vico Mercato at laft ventured

to propofe the Count, and reprcfcnted to them ac

large, that if they had a mind to get rid of the war<

there was no other way left but to fubmit to him ; as

their neceflTities demanded a certain and immediate

peace, and they were no longer irv*T^dition to feed •

upon tfie hopes of future fuccoijf^^ich after ail

might poflibly be very uncertain, and at a great dif*

tance. He excufed the Count's condud, and threw

the blame upon the Venetians and other States in

Italy, fomc of which out of ambition, and others out

of jealoufy and avarice, would not fufFcr them to live

free •, and faid, that fince they were now under a ne-

ccffity of giving up their liberties, it behoved thetn

to give them to a perfon who both knew how, and was

fufficicntly able to defend them -, that fo, when they

had loft their freedom, they might at leaft have the

confolation of enjoying peace, and not be plunged

into a ftill more dangerous and deftruftivc war.

This harangue was liftencd to with wonderful at-
tention by the populace, who as foon ^s he had done
fpcaking, all cried put with one voice for the County
and immediately difpatched Vico Mercato to invite
him into the City s which invitation being accepted
with great joy by the Count, he made his entrance
into Milan on the 27th of February in the year 1450,
and was received there with incredible acclamations
by that very people who but a few days before had
dctcfted even the name of him ^4

• A kte author compares the populace to a eoquef, who upon
feme days, is not to be prevailed upon dthcr by fighs, or prcfents,'
or follicitations of any kind* The next day, perhaps, (he rails into?
your arms.— Thus there are feme circumftances of affairs in whi4h
the moil plauiiblc Mauifefio^s of thofe that take up arm$ agamK their

Whe»

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fiooVVl. 0 1^ t? L Ò R É N e È. '4t7

When the news of this revolution arrived at Flo-
l-eoce, the Florentines fent orders to their Ambafla-
dors, who were yet upon the road, that inftead of
treating with him as Count Sforza, according to theiif
firft inllruftions, they fliould now pay their conipli-
ments of congratulation to him as Dukd of Milan*
Thefe Anibafl&dors were received with great honour^
and treated with the higheft refpeft by the Duke*
tvho well knew that he could not have more faithful
or more powerful allies in all ftaly than the Floren-^
tines, to fecure him againft the ambition of the Ve-
netians. For though they were at laft freed from all
apprehenfions of the Vifconti family,- it was generally
thought they would foon be embroiled with the Ar-
1-agonefe and the Republic of Venice ; as both the
former^ and the King of Naples looked upon them
With a fufpicious eye, on account of the connexions
they had always had with the court of France ; and
the Venetians who perceived that the ftate of Florence '
was gtown as jealous of them as it formerly had been
of the Vifconti, and remembered with what invete-
racy they thertifelves had perfecuted that family, be-
gan to be afraid they ftiould have the fame meafur^
now dealt out to them in their turn ; and therefore
determined to ruin them both if poflible. In thefe
circumftances, the new Duke of Milan prefently re-
folved to enter into an alliance with the Florentines :
and the Venetians, on the contrary, made a League*
ifvith King Alphonfo againft their common Enemies^ as
they called them j in which they agreed to take up
arms at the fame time, and that the King fhould in-
vade the Florentine dominions, whilft the Venetians
attacked the Dukej who, being hardly yet fettled in

Sovereign, will not hare the leaft cfFeft upon the people's allegiance {
and at other times, one half only of fuch pretences will be fufficicnt
to bring about a revolution. -^This, however, is not altogether to ht
imputed to the levity of the people: for how fickle and inconftant
ibever they are reckoned^ they feldom care to ftir, except impelled
by fomc exterior force, as opprefiion or famine (as in the cafe be-
fore^us) or the harangues and ambitious intrigues of fatìious De-
magogues.

VpL. I. , E e his

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3^i8 THE HISTORY Book VB

his government, they imagined would not be abk to
make head' againft them, either with his own forces
alone, or any other afllftance he could procure. But
as the League betwixt the ^two Republics was ftill in
force, and the King had made a treaty with the Flo-
rentines upon the conclufion of the war at Piombino,
they both tfiought they could not juffify commencing
hoftilities without fome fair pretext for a war. Each
of them, therefore, fent an Ambaflador to Florence,
who gave the Signory there to underftand, th^t they
did not defign, by the engagements they had lately
entered into with one another, to aft offcnfively againff
any State whatfoever-, but merely to defend their
own. After which, the Venetian Ambaflador, com-
plained that the Florentines had given Alexander, the
Duke*s brother, leave to pafs with his forces through
Lunigiana into Lombardy j and that they had bceii
the authors and advifers of the agreement made be-
twixt the Duke of Milan and the Marquis of Man-
tua, to the great prejudice of their Republic, and irt
open violation of the treaty of alliance then fubfifting
betwixt them : upon which account^ he begged leave
to reprefent to them in a friendly manner, that who-
ever injures another perfon without caufe, gives him
a juft right to revenge ; and that, if they broke the
peace they muft naturally expedt a war*

To ihefe remonftranccs Cofimo de' Medici was or-
dered by the Signiory to return their anfwer j who
addrefling himfelf with much temper and prudence
to the Ambafladors, recited at large the many fervices^
and good offices the Republic of Venice had received
from that of Florence, and the obligations they lay
under to it for the vaft acquifttions they hftd macfe by
the afliftance of the Florentines, whofe treafure, and
arms, and counfcl had ever "been at their fervice. Af-
ter which he told them, " that as the Florentines had
been the authors and promoters of the union betwixt
them, they would not be the firft to break it ^ for
having always been lovers of peace themfclves, they
they had nothing to fay againft the engagements the

Vcnc^

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Rjok VI. b F F L O R È N C È. 4i|

Véhfetians had entered into v^ith King Alphobfo, pro-
vided they were dot intended to difturb the public
trariqiiilllty. That indeed they could not help being
a little furprized that fo wife and majcftic a Corhmon-v
wealth (hould think it virorth their while to be at the '
trouble of making complaints of fuch trifling and in-
tìgnlficarit mattei-s as the pafTage of Alexander. Sforza
through Lunigiaria, and the agreement betwixt the
puke of Milan and thè Marquis of Mantua: but if*
they thought they deferved any anfwer, the Floren-^
tines took that opportunity of declaring that a paf-
iage through their dominions ftiould always Be operi
to any friend : and as for the other point, the t)uke
was a Prince of fuch abilities^ that he did not ftand
in need of their ^dvice or direftion in the choice o^
iiis allies. That he therefore fufpefted there ^as fome^
thing mòre at the bottom of thefc cavils than he could
at prefènt difcover i but if that fhould be the cafe^
the Florehtihes would let the world fee that they had
it ifi their power, not only to be good friends buti
dangerous enemies.*' Things however were pretty
well <5pmpoIcd for that time, and the Ambaffadora
ieérheà to go away fatisfied : but the conclufion o^
fuch a treaty, and the fubfcquerit behaviour of the
Venetians and King Alphonlo, gave the Duke and the
Florentines much more reafon to exped the breaking^
out ctf a rieW war, than to hope foi* a continuance of
thè péacd. The Florentihcs therefore having entered
into a ftrift confederacy with the Duke, the Venetians
began to difcover their hoftile defigns by driving all
the Florentihes arid their dependants out of the terri-
tories of Venice : and foori after Alphonfo did the
fame, without the lead regard to the treaty he had
inade with them the year before, without any juft
taufe, or fo much as a fpecious pretence. The Vene-
tians likewife endeavoured to reduce the Éolognefe;
and Having furnirtiéd fom'e of their exiles with forces,
they marched towards that City in the night, and got
Into it through ah old fubterraneous aqueduct fo pri-
vately that ho body was aware of their entrance tili
E c a tliey

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%2d THE H I S T 0 R f Book VB

theyr gave the alarm themfelves : upon which, thtf
Governor Santi Bentivoglio, who was awake though
in bed, being informed that the City was, furprized
by the exiles, immediately got up and rcfolved to face
the enemy. And though he was advifed by many
that were about him to lave himfelf by flight if pof-
fible, fince he could not fave the City if he Haid y yet
he put on his armour and having gathered together
fome friends whom he encouraged to follow him, he
attacked the enemy, "and not only routed them, but
killed many and drove the reft out of the City : by
which courageous behaviour, every body acknow-
ledged that he had given fufficient proof that he was
really defrended from the Houfe of the Bentivogli.

Thefe proceedings fully confirmed the Florentines
in their apprehenfions of a war, and determined them,
to make the ufual preparations for their defence : for
which/ purpofe they created a Council of Ten^ took;
Àew Commanders into their pay, fent Ambaffadprs
to Rome, Naples, Venice, Milan, and Siena, to de-
mand fuceours of their allied, to know what theymight
Certainly depend upon from thofe of whom t.he^ wer«
doubtful, to fix fuch as were wavering, and to pene-
trate into the defigns of their enemies.

From the Pope they got nothing but general de-
€l]àrations of his good difpofition towards them, and
exhortations to pedice, fhc King of Naples C9n-
tented himfclf with making trifling excufes for hav*
ing driven the fubjeóls of the Florentines aut of hii
dominions, and offered fefe condufts to fuch as ftill
remained behind if they pleafed to afk them. AncI
thoiigh he endeavoured by all means to conceal hi^-
hoftite defigfls, yet the Ambàffadors plainly difcovered
them, and that be' was making great preparations to-
Invade their Republic. With the Duke they not
only renewed their League, but ftrengthened it with,
feveral addinonal articles; and by Ws nieans all for-
mer differences betwixt them and the Genoefc were^
compromifed with fo rnuch fatisfaftion on both fides^
that they became good friends to-each^dther, though

the

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Book VI, O F F L O R E N C E. 4?i

the Venetians left nci ftone unturned to prevent their
reconciliation, and went fo far as even to folUcit the
Emperor of Conftantinople to banifli all Florentines
out of his Empire : with fo much rancour did they
begin the war, fo infatiablc was their ambition of
rule, aqd fo fuli'y bent were they upon the ytter de-
ftruftipn of thofe to whom they entirely owed all their
power and greatnefs \ but that Prince paying no re-
gard to their follicitations, the Senate of Venice forr
bad the Florentine Ambaffadors to enter their terri-
tories ; alledging, that as they were in League witfj
the King of Naples and Arragon, they could not ad-
mit of any Embaffies without his participation. But
the Sienefc ^ received their Ambaffadors with much
ihew of kindnefs and refpeft ; though it was only out
of fear of being over-run by their Matters before the
other fide could fend them any fuccours : and there,-
fore they thought it the beft way to amufe them for
a time, as they were not then in a capacity to make
any refiftanoe. The Venetians however and King
Alphonfo defigned (as it was then faid) to have fent
Ambaffadors to Florence, in order tojuftify the war
they were going to make upon that R(?public : but as
the Venetian Ambaffador was refufed entrance intp
the Florentine dominions, and the other did not care
to take that charge wholly upon himfelf, that Embafly
fell to the ground ; and the Venetians had the morti-
fication to fee tbemfelvcs treated with as much con-
tempt and difregard as they had treated the Florentines
but a. little while before.

In the midft of thefe •apprebenfions, the Emperor
Frederic III. *^ame into Italy to be crowned, and on
the 30th of J^uary in the year 14^1, made his entry

♦ This emperor,' furnamed the Pacific, began his rcign in 1440,
and reigned 53 years. He was a Prince of great gcncrofity and pru-
rience ; and naturally al^Jjorring war, he endeavpurcd to Xupply in po-
licy what be wanted in power. He bore tbe infults that had l>eea
offered htm by feveral of the Popes, with fuch patience, that the
, JtAli^ns ^i^d to {fiy, hthtd a dAodfml in a ìànmgJkùdy, It waf in the
12th year of his reign that he went to Rome to receive his crown '^X,
^e hands of the Po|[e4

L: \ ^ * -I ^-^

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;ì^2 T H e H I S -T O R Y Book VI,'

into Florence with fifteen hundred horfe, where he
yras received with the higheft honours by the Signipry^
jind ftaid there till the Sixth of February ; at which
cime he depart^rd for Rome, to receive his Crown
from the hands of the Pope. After tjiat ceremony
was over, and his marriage confummated with th^
Emprefs *, who had pome thither by Sea, he return-
jpd into Germany j but came back again to F}orence
the May following, where he was treated with the
"fame demonftrations of refpeft that he had been be-
fore : and having been piagnificcntly' entertained by
thè Marquis of Ferrara as he was going back into
permany the fepond time, he, in returti for thofc ci-
vilities, made that Prince a grant pf Moflena and
Reggio. But the Florentines were not diverted by
thefe fplemnities frorn making due preparation for
the approaching war : and to give reputation to theif
arms, and firike a terror into the cnerny, they and
ihe Duke entered into a League with the King of
France, fpr the mutual defence of each other's do-
jniniops, which they publilhe4 wjth area^ tfiumpl^
^nd oftentation all over Italy.

It was now the month of May in the year 1452,
when the Venetians refolvin^ to defer the hoftilities
po longer, entered the Duke of Milan's dominion^
with ÌBxteen thouf^nd hprfe apd fix thoufand foot by
the way of Lodi : whilft the Marquis of Monferra(,
^ither moved by his own ambition or thp inftigation
pf the Venetians, at the fame tin^e likewife invadeji
liitn pn the fide of Alexandria. The Duke on the
pther h^nd, having aflcmbled an aripy of eighteen
thoufand hprfe and three thoufanid foot^ (after he had
ppt fufficient garrifons, not only into Lodi and Aleir
^ndria^ but into all other fuch places as he thought
^crp mofi liable to be attacked by the enemy) fell into
^hc territories of Brefcia, where he made prodigious
J^avopk ; laying wafte the country on every fide, and
plundering all the towns that were not well fortificai

f glc^nofi^, |nfii{^taof Porjttgali

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0ookVI. O F F L O R E N C E. 4$^

And the Marquis of Montferrat being alfo defeated
by tfiié garrifons at Alexandria, gave the Duke an op-
portunity of turning with all his forces upon the Ve-
netians and attacking them with greater vigour.

Whilft the war was thus carried on in Lomhardy
with various fuccefs on both fides, but in fo feeble a
manner that nothing was done worth relating on ei-
ther, the flame likewtfe broke out in Tufcany, but
not with greater vehemence, nor more danger than it
had done in Lombardy. Ferdinand the illegitimate
Son of King Alphonfo, had marched into thofe parts
with twelve thoufand men commanded by Frederic
Lord of Urbino 5 and their firft enterprize was an at-
tempt upon Foiano in the Vale of Chiana : for the
Siencfe being their friends, they entered the Floren-
tine dominions on that fide. That fortrefs was but a
fmall one, and neither ftrong nor well garrifoned -,
the number of men which had been fent thither by
the Signiory for its defence not exceeding two hun-
dred : but they were reckoned as good and faithful
foldiers as any in thofe times. Before this place Fer-
dinand fat down : however, either the refolution of
the bcfieged was fo great, or the conduft of the be^
fiegers fo bad, that it did not furrender till after fix
and thirty days : which gave the Florentines time to
provide better for places of greater importance, to
aflcmble their trpops, and make more cfFeólual pre-
parations for their defence.

After the reduftion of this fortrefs, the enemy adr
vanced into the territories of Chianti, where they
inade aq aflault upon two other places that were de-
fended only by the townfmen, but were not able to
carry them. From thence they paflTed on to Caftcl-
lina, à town on the confines of Chianti, about ten
, miles from Siena, neither well fortified by art, nor
ftrong by its natural fituation : yet, weak as it was in
all refpcfts, they could not make themfelves matters
of it ; fo that after they had inverted it on every fide
for the fpace of forty days, they were forced to raife
|bc fiege and make a fliameful retreat. For fo con-
^L e ^ temptiblQ

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'424 THE H I S T O R.Y Book VI,

temptible were their armies in thofe day5, ^nd' their
method of making war attended with fo little danger^
that towns which now would be abandoned as in-
capable of being maintained, were then defended in
fgch a manner, as if they thought them impofllble to
be taken.

Whilft Ferdinand was in the Country of Chianti,
he made daily incurfions intp the Florentine do-
ipinions, and not only committed terrible depre-
dations there, but advanced with fomc of his par^
ties within fix miles of the City, to the great con-
fternation and diftrefs of the Governors there ; who
having aflembled their forces to the number of eight
thoufand near the Caftle of Colle, uncler the Com-
mand of Aftorre da Faenza and GifmondoMalatefta,
did not care, however to come to an engagement, but
kept at a good diftance from the enemy : becaufe
they knew very well, as long as their army was entire,
they coujd not fufFer much by the war ; as the little
places which might be taken from them, would be
reftored at the conclufion of a peace j and for thofe
of greater con fequence they were in ho pain, being
affured that the enemy would not then venture to
make any attempt upon them. King Alphonfo had
likewife a fleet confifting of about twenty fail of Gal-
lies and other fuch veflels hovering upon the Coaft
of Pifa ; and whilft he befieged Cauellina by land,
he made an attack upon the Caftle of Vada by Sea,
which he took through the negligence of the Govcri-
nor. This acquifi.tion gave him an opportunity of
infefting ali the adjacent Country ; but his excurfion$
were at laft checked by fome forces which the Flo-
rentines fent to Campiglia, who put an end to thofe
depredations, and kept his men cloiely confined tq*
(he Sea Coaft.

The Pope in the mean time did not interfere in
thefe broils any further than in endeavouring to re-^
cftablilh peace amongft the contending parties. But
whilft he had the addrefs to keep himfelf out of the
(Vii: abroad» he was in no little danger at home.

There

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TSòok VR O F F L O R E N C E: 42^

There was at that time in Rome one Stephen Por*
cari, a Citizen by birth, of a noble family and great
learning, but much more eminent for the generofity
of his mind. This Stephen (like men that arc am-,
bitious of glory) refolved to perform, or at leaft to
^attempt fomc aftion of Ecla^ that fhould make hirfx
memorable topofterity. And nothing fecmed to him
more honourable than an attempt to refcue hh Coun-
try out of the hands of the Prelates, and reftore it
to its ancient liberty : in hopes, if he fuccccded, of
being called The fecond Founder and Father of Rome.
What animated him to this enterprifc, was the cor-
ruption, infolence, and diffblute lives of the Prelates;
at which, both the Nobility and common people of
Rome were highly difgufted. But his chief confi-
dence was founded upon fome verfes in one of Pe-
trarch's Sonnets, which begins thus, Spirto gentile^ Scc^
'J'he vcrfcs are thefe,

J* Sopra il monte Tarpeio Canzon vedrai
Un Cavalier, eh' Italia tutta onora
Penfofo più d' altrui che di fé Stefro.**

On the Tarpein Mount my Mufe fhali fee

A Cavalier ador'd by ftaly,

Regardlefs of himfelf, tofct his Country free.

!

^ Stephen was poflTefled with a conceit, that Poets are
often infpired with a divine and prophetic fpirit ; and
taking it for granted, that what Petrarch had thus
foretold, would certainly come to pafs, he looked
uf)on himfelf as the man deftjned for the execution
of fo glorious an undertaking ; as he thought he was
far fuperior to all his fellow-citizens in learning, elp-

•quence, friends, ^nd popular favour,^ Having taken
this into his head, he could not contain himfelf withia
the common bounds of refcrve, but behaved with fo
much indifcretion, both in his words and aftions,
and manner of living, that the Pope beginning to
fufpe<a he had fome bad defign in agitation, imme-
diately banilhed him to Bologna, in order to kep p
2 him

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:^28 THE HISTORY «ookVft

him out of mifchicf, and fcnt inftrudions to the Goi
vernorof that City, to keep a ftriA eye upon his ac-
tions, and to fee him every day at fuch an hour.
Stephen, however, was fo far from being daunted at
this rebuflF, that he purfued his defigns with much
more refolution apd affiduity than before, holding a
fecret correfpendence with his friends at Rome, and
often going thither and back again himfclf, with Co
much expedition, that he was always in time to prc-
fent himfclf before the Governor at the appointed
hour. So that when he thought he had drawn a fuf-
ficient number into the confpiracy, being determined
to defer the execution of it no longer, he fent, orders
to his friends at Rome, to prepare a fplendid fupper
on fuch an evening, where all the confpirators were
to meet, and bring as many confidants with them as
they could fully depend upon, promifing to be with
them before fupper was over. When every thing
was fettled, therefore, according to his inftruftions,
he came to the houfe where they fupped, and having
put on an embroidered mantle, with a chain of gold
about his neck, and other ornaments, to give him
the more majefty and authority, he entered the room
where the confpirators were aflcmbled ; and after he
had tenderly embraced them all, made a long and
pathetic fpeech to them, wherein he exhorted the(n
to behave like men, and prepare themfelves for the
execution of fo glorious a purpofe. After whi^rh, he
gave every man his feparate charge, ordering one
part of them to feize upon the Pope^s palace early ihc
next morning, and the other to run about the ftreets,
and excite the people to take up arms. But the plot
was difcovered that very night j* fome fay, by the in-
formation of certain of his accomplices, and others,
by his having been feen in the City himfelf. How-
ever that might be, the Pope caufed him, and the
greater part of ^he Confpirators, to be immediately
apprehendedj^ and afterwards put to death, as they
might welt expeft. Such was the event of this un-
dertaking ! and though, indeed, Porcari's intentioi\

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-^ook VI. OF FLORENCE. 42>

in it may feem worthy of praife to fome people*,
yet his iudgment and manner of conduéling it muft
i)e condemned by every onie : for notwithftanding en-
terprizes of this kind have fome ftiadow of glory in
the projcftion, they are ^Irpoft always attended with
the ruin of the projeftors. '

The war in Tufcany h^d now continued almoft
twelve months, and in the Spring of the year 1453,
when both armies had taken the field, Alexander
Sforz^, the Duke of Milan's brother, came to the
fuccour of the Florentines, with two thoufand horfe ;
ib that their army being augmented, and that of
king Alphonfp rather diminiflied, the Florentines re-
iblved to ufe their endeavours to recover ^hat had
been }oft, and without much difficulty retook feveral
pwns. After this, they fat down before Foiano,
which being facked through the negligence of the
pommiflariès, the inhabitants were difperfed in fuch
a mapner, that they coulfi not be prevailed upon to
yeturn, till great rewards and exemptions weft of-
fered them. They likcwife recoverc4 the fortrefs
pf Vada ; for the enemy finding they could not
|ceep jt, firft fet the Caftle on fire, and then
^bandoped it. But whilft the Florentine army was
making this progrefs, the king's not daring to face
them, had retreated towards Siena^ and made feveral
incurfions into their territories on that fide, where
they committed great outrages, and filled all the
Country with terror aijd cpnfufion. The King alfo
endeavoured to annoy them in another quarter, in
order to divide their forces, and to harrafs and dif-
trefs them as many ways as he couldj> ip hopes of
humbling them at laft. Gerardo Gambacorta was
fhen l^otd of the Vale of Bagno, whofe Anceftors,

* Confpiring agaiaft the State, Mr. Bayle fays, is the grtateft
^ime a p[)ai) c^n be guilty of, ^nc) yet fome perfons fuffer themfelves
%o be drawn into confpiracies by fuql^ motives as they think are mo-
rally good : (b true it is, that man^s confcience is liable to the moft
lamentable errors ! Brutus, and feveral of thofe whom he prevailed
upon to affaflinate Julius pseiàrj were xneu of the moft eminent pro*
fctv a|d yirf uej '

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^2Ì THE HISTORY Book VI.

as well as himfelf, having been under great obligations
Co the Florentines, had always lived in anrity with
them, and were conftantly eitJicr in their pay, or re-
commended by them to others. With this man AI-
phonfo began to tamper, and offered him another
State in the Kingdom of Naples^ which was more
than an equivalent, provided he would deliver up
that territory to him. But when this came to be
Icnown at Florence, the Signiory fent an Ambaflador
to fee how he flood affe<5led ; who was likewife at the
fame time to remind him of the favours which he and
Ms family had received from that Republic, and to
exhort him to continue faithful to it. Upon which,
Gambacorta fceming to be much furprized at th^
imputation, affured them, with the moft folemn oaths
and affeverations, that fo wicked a thought had never
entered his head, and proffered not only to go back
again with them to Floretice, but to refide there as
SL fecurity for his fidelity. But as he pretended to
be in an ill ftate of health, he laid, wnàt he could
not do himfelf at that time, without great inconve-
nience, his Son fhould do for him, .and delivered
him up to the Anibaffadors as àn Hoftage. Thefe
affurances and proofs feemed fo convincing, that they
fully confided in l>im, and looked upon the charge as-
a mere calumny. Upon this. Gambacorta profecuted
the agreement with the King wjth more earneftnefs;
and when it was concluded, his Majefty fent Brother
Puccio, a Knight of the Order of Sr, John at Jerg-
falem *, with a good body of forces into the Vale of
Bagno to receive fuch Caftles and Towns as were in
Gerardo's poffcffion ;. though the inhabitants of that
V;ile, who were very well affected to the Republic of
Florence, lubniitted to the King-s Commiffaries wich
great reluftance. Puccio, however, made himfelf
•mader of all tht^t territority, except the Caftle of
Corzano: but when Gambacorta was upon the point
of delivering up that ,fortrels alfo inu> the enem^''^

Now called Knights of Malta^

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fiandsi

^oókVf, OF FLORENCE. 425

hands, there happened to be amongft his attendants,
one Antonio Gualandi, a native of Pifa, and a fpi*
rited young man, who inwardly dcteftcd th« perfi-
dious behaviour of hts oiafter. This man, who was
well acquainted with the fituation of the place, and
perceived by the countenance and behaviour of the
garrifon, that they were much diflatisfied at fuch a
manner of proceeding, feeing Gambacorta ftanding
at one of the gates to ac^mit the King's forces, laid
hold of him with both hands, and having thruft him
out of the Caftle, called upon the garrifon to Ihuc
the gate upon fo vile a wretch, and preferve the for-
trefs for the Republic of Florence* And no fooner
was the news of this event known at Bagno, bue
the inhabitants there, and of all the neighbouring
places, immediately took up arms againft King Al-
phonfo's garrifons, and hoifting Florentine Colours,
drove them entirely out of all thofe towns. The
Florentines alfo being informed of what had hap-
pened, committed their Hoftage, young Gamba-
corta, to prifon, and fending forces to defend that
territory, in the Name of the Republic, they re-
duced it to a Bailiwick, dependant upon themfelves,
from a State, which, for a great number of years,
tiad been governed by Princes of its own. The
Father, in the mean time, having betrayed both his
Allies and his Son, with great difficulty made his
cfcapc, and wandering about the world like a Vaga-
bond, left hh wife and family, and all his poffefllons,
in the hands of' the enemy. This fudden revolution
was of the iitmoft importance to the Florentines ;
for if the King had been in full pofleflion of that
Country, he would have had it in his power to make
incurfions into the Vale of Tevere, and the. Territo-
ries of Cafentino, with very little difficulty, when-
ever he pleafed ; where he would have been a con-
tinual thorn in their fides, and obliged them to di-»
vide their forces in fuch a manner, that they could
not have turned their whole power againft his main
^rmy, which then lay near Siena.

Be-

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:H^ THE HIStÓftT Sbol^Vli

Bcfidcs the ftcps which the Florentines fiad takcrf
in Italy to (top the prc^refs of the enemy, they like-"
wife fent Agnolo Acciaiuoli as Ambaffador to the Kins;'
of France, to pray that his Majefty would let King*
Regnier of Anjou return into Italy to the affiftance of'
their Republic and the Duke of Milan, his antient
allies ; where he might alfo take proper meafures for
the recovery of the Kingdom of Naples, in which un-
dertaking they promifed to furnifli him both with'
men and money. Accordingly, whilft the war wa$
carried on in the manner we have related in Lom-
bardy and Tufcany, that ambaffador concluded an
agreement with King Regnier; irt which it was ftipu-
lated, that he fliould come into Italy by the latter encf
of June at furtheft, with two thoufand four hundred!
horfe ; that upon his arrival at Alexandria, he fhould
be immediately fupplied with thirty thoufand Florins'
, in ready money^ and ten thoufand more every month,-
' as long as the war continued. Irt confequence of tliis
treaty, he had got his forces in readineis to march y
but their paffage Was obftruÀcd by the Duke of Sa-
voy and the Marquis of Montferrat, who were in al-
liance with the Venetians. Upon which, Regnier
was advifed by the Florentine Ambaffador tp turn
afide into Provence, and endeavour to pafs by Sea*
into Italy with what forces he could, in order to give
fome reputation at lead to his friends : and at the
fame time to try if be could not prevail upon the
King of France to ufe his good offices \^th the Duke
of Savoy fo effedually as to obtain him a paffage
through his dominions. This being granted at laft,
to oblige the King of France, fonrie part of RegnierV
troops marched through Savoy, whilft he tranfportcd
BimfeltV with the reft, by Seia, to join them in Italy i
where^ upon his arrival, he was received with the
higheft honours by the Duke of Milan : and thcfc
two Princes having united their forces, attacked the
Venetians with fo much vigour on every fide, that they
foon not only recovered all the places which had been*
taken from them ia the Cremonefe, but n^ade thém-

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look VI. O F F L O R E N e £• 43I

(clvcS maftcrs of almofl: all the territory of Brefcia,
with fuch rapidity, that the Venetian Commiflaries
not thinking their army fecure in the field, retreated
and took Iheltcr under the walls of that City. How-
ever, as the Duke was then at Verona, and the fca-
fon of the year pretty far advanced, he thought ic
Aeceflary, for the refrcfhmcnt of his men, to put
them into winter quarters ; and having configned Pia-
cfclìtia to Regnier, for that purpofc, they ftaidall the
reft of the year 1453, and the beginning of the nexr^
in thofe places, without attempting any thing farther*
But as foon as the weather began to grow more tem-
perate, and the Duke was preparing to take the field
again, in hopes of ftripping the Venetians of all their
dominions upon the Terra Firma, Regnier gave him
to underftand, that his own affairs laid him under an
abfblute neceffity of returning Jnto France.

This fudden and unexpefted refoluiion, greatly
.chagrined the Duke : and thpugh he immediately
took poft, and went to him at Placentia, to fee if he
could not prevail upon him to change it, yet all his
offers and entreaties were to no purpofe : he only pro-
mifed to leave part of his forces behind him, and to
fend his fon John to ferve the allies in his (lead. The
Florentines, on the contrary, were not at all difpleafed
at this event ; for as they had now recovered all the
towns that had been taken from them, they were no
longer afraid of King Alphonfo, nor did they defire
that the Duke of Milan fliould become poflcffcd of
any thing more than what belonged to him in Lorn-
bardy. Regnier accordingly returned into his own
Country, but fent his fon, as he had promifed, into
. Italy •, who did not flop in Lombardy, but came di*
redly to Florence, where he was received with much
refped.

After the departure of Regnier, the Duke of Mi-
lan fecmed difpofed to a peace ; the Venetians, King
Alphonfo, and the Florentines, being all tired of the
war, were likcwife defirous of it ; and the Pope had
always taken great pains, and ftill laboured with much

car-
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4i!! . f-M E tt t S T O R Y\ fiaoìc W;

carneftnefs to bring about an accommodation betwixt
the different parties : for Mahomet the Grand Turk
had taken Conftantinople that year, and made himfelf^
Mafter of all Greece*; an acquifition that ftruck
terror into all the Princes of Chriftendom^ but efpe-
cially into the Pope and the Venetians, who inlagined^
they alreiady felt the weight of his arms in their do-
minions* His Holinefs, therefore, vehemently fqlli-
citcd ^very State in Italy to fend their refpeftive Am-

* • Voltaire having at large recited the caufes that contributed to
the lofs of this great leat ot the Eaftcrn Empire, fays, ^* Mahomet 11.-
vas twenty-two years of age, when he afcended the throne of the
Sultans. From that time he bent his mind upon the conquell of
Con(tantinople, whilft that unhappy City was rent into faSions and.
fchifms, difputing and quarrelling whether they fhould make ufe of
Jeavened or unleavened bread in the facrament, and whether it was
ietter to pray in Latin or Greek. He began therefore, with block-
ading the City ; and in the beginning of April, 1455, thff adjacent
Country was covered with near three hundred thoufand Turks, and
the Strait of Propontis with about three hundred gallies, and twof
hundred fiualler veffels. One of the moft extraordinary, and yet
beft attefted fa£>s, is the ufe that Mahomet made of thofe (hips. They
could not get into the Port, the mouth of it being barricaded witn
ftron^g booms and chains of iron, and befides, in afl probability, ad-
*antageoufly defended One night, therefore, he orcj^eeed the ground
to be covered for the fpace of two leagues in length with fir planks,
greafed with tallow and oól, and faid like the manger of afhip: after
-which, by the aifiilance of machines, and bodily labour, he caufed
fourfcore galjics, and fcventy tenders or fmaller veffels, to be hauled
out of the Strait, and rolled away over thefe planks. All this great
:work was finHhed in one night; and early in the morning, the be-'
iieged faw wkh a(lonil}imei>t, an entire fleet defcend from the land
into theii^ harbour. The next day, a bridge of boats was built
"within fight of them, and fcrved for the creeling a batteiy of cannon.
After a fie^e of forty-nine days, the Emperor Conftantine was.
obliged to capitulate, and fent feveral Greeks to receive the Law of
the Conqueror, who granted them terms. But as thefe Deputies
were returning to the City, Mahomet recoMe^ng fomething which
he had forgot to add, ordered fome of his people to ride after thenr.
Upon which, the befieged on the top of the ramparts, feeing a body
©f Turks gallopping after the Deputies, imprudently fired at them.
The Turks • were foon joined by a greater number, and juft as th«
Deputies were entering the gate, the enemy rufhed in pell-mell along
with them, and made themfelves matters of the upper. town, which
is feparated from the lower. The Emperor Connantine XUI. was
killed in the crowd, after he had fought to tlie laft, with incre-
dible courage : and when the Sultan had made himfelf Mafter of one
half of Conltantinople, he grajited the fame terms to the other half
that he had otfere4 to the whole City, which were acce|>ted, and
pundually obferved by him.'' Voltaire's Gen. Hill. vol. ii. part i.
p. 55- ^<^' V . '

bafladors

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èoòk VI. d F t* L O R É N C E. 433

bafladors to him at Rome^ with full powers to con-
clude a general peace ; with which they ^U complied;
But when they met, aiid their feveral pretenfions
came to be difcuffed, many difficulties and impedi-
ments occurred, which feemed infurmountable. Thè
King of Naples expeded that the Florentines (hould
indemnify him for the expences he had been at in the
war ; and the Florentines made the fame demand up-
on him. The Venetians infifted upon the Duke giv-
ing up Cremona to them 5 and the Duke would not
bc^ fatisfied except they reftored Bergamo, Brefcia^
and Crema, So that thefe obftacles feemed impoffi-
ble to be removed. Neverthelefs^ what appeared (o
difficult at Rome, where the matter was canvaflcd by
fo many, was foon got over at Milan and Venice,
where it was condudted by fewer managers : for whilft
the treaty went very flowly forwards under the media-
tion of his Holincfs, the Duke and the Venetians
concluded one betwixt themfelves, on the ninth of
April, 14545 by which fuch towns were to be re-
ftored to each other, as they were refpeélively in pof-
feffion of before the beginning of the War ; the Duke
was left at liberty to recover thofc places, if he
could, that had been feized upon by the Duke of Sa-
voy, and the Marquis of Montferrat ; and the reft of
the Italian Princes were to have a month given then*
to accede to the treaty, if they fo pleafed. The Pope^
the Florentines, together wich the Sicnefe, and fcveral
other inferior States, came into it within that time ;
befidcs which, a peace was concluded betwixt thtl
Florentines, the Duke, and the Venetians, for the
term of twenty- five years.

Of all the Princes in Italy, King Alphonfo alone
was diflatisfied at the peace, as he thought it would
, be a derogation to his Majefty to be admitted rather
as an auxiliary than a principal; upon which account
he continued fome time in fufpence, and would no*
acquaint them with his rcfolution. At iaft, however^
after feveral formal cmbaffies from the Pope and other
Vol. I. F f States^

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434 T H E H I S T O R y Book'Vt

States, he fuffcred himfclf to be prevailed u|)Qq^
f chiefly at the iqftance of his Holinefs) and both be
?nd his Son acceded to the treaty, which was renewed
for thirty ye^rs : at the f^tnc time a double alliance
was contraótcd betwixt his femily ^od the Duke's ;
each of thpic Princes giving his daughter in marrii^
to .the 5on of the other. Ncverthelefs as the eyjl de-
ft iny of Italy would have fonje feeds of future dif-
cqrds ^od troubles ftill left, be refufed to ratify the
treaty after all, except the reft <rf the contrafting
powers would fu^er him to make war upon the Ge-
noefe, Gifmondo Malatefta Lord of Rimini,^ and
Aftorre Prince of Faenza, without being in any wife
impeded or molefted in his operations by them. Thia
being likcwifc complied with, Ferdinand hi» Son»
who was then at Sienna, returned into the Kingdom
of Naples, after he had loft a great number of his
men, ai^d gained no material advantage by coming
into Tufcany,

A general peace being thus concluded, the onlf
apprchenfion that remained, was, that it would foon
be difturbed again by the enmity which King Alphonfo
bore to the Genoefe. But it proved othcrwilc -, for
in all outward appea,rance the fubfequent troubles were
not owing to that Prince, but to the ambition of mer-
cenary Soldiers, which indeed had been the occaGon
of moft of thofe that had happened before. The
Venetians (according to their cuftom at the end of a
war) difcharged their General Giacopo Piccinino, who
retired with Tome other Commanders and forces inta
Romagna, but without having then formed any othcF
defign. From thence Piccinino paflcd into the territo-
ries of Siena, where he began a war upon thè Sienefc,.
and took feveral of their towns. In the beginning of
thefe broils, and of the year 1455, Pope Nicholas died,
and was fucceeded by Calixtus III. This Pontif, in
order to e^tinguilh a flame which he faw juft ready to
break out again almoft at his own door, immediately
aflemblcd what troops he could, under the Comniaad

of

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Book Vi. Ò f* t' L Q R E N C E. 4g5

^f his General Venrimiglia* and fent them ag^inft Pic-
cinino, in conjupftion with the forces of the Duke and
thje Florentines, ftho likewife concgr-red with him in
their ei^avours to prevent the growing evils. Near
Bolfena, they came to an engagement -, in which ^ noc-
"withftanding Ventimiglia was taken prifoner. Picci-
nino was routed and forced to fly in great diforder to
Caftiglione della Pcfcaia, where if he had not been
fupplied with money by King Alpbonfo, he muft have
been utterly undone : a circumftance which gave every
one reaibn tofufpefk this enterprizewas undertaken and
^ofecuted by the order and direction of that Prince,
So that Alghonfo perceiving his defigns were difco-
vered, endeavoured to make up a peace, in order to
regain the confidence of his allies, which he had al-
moft loft by this feeble and pitiful attempt : and foi*
that purpofe he fet a treaty on foot, wherein it was
agreed that Piccinino fliould rettore all the places he
had taken from the Sienefe, and that they Ihould pay
him twenty thoufand Florins ; after which, he re-
ceived both him and his forces into his own King-
dom.

At this time the Pope^ though very watchful over
Piccinino's motions, was making great preparations
for the Common fupport of Chriftendom, which he
faw in imminent danger of being over-run by the
Turk ; and not onjy fent Ambafladors, but Preachers
into every part of Europe to exhort all Chriftian
Princes and people to take up arms in defence of
their Religion againft the Common enemy, and to ^f-
fift each other in fo laudaWe an. undertaking with
their perfohs as well as therr purfcs : in confequence
of which, great fums were railed at Florence, and
many wore red Crofles to (hew they were ready to
ferve perfonally in fuch an Expedition. They like-
wife made folcmn Proceflions to implore the bleffing
cF God upon their arms. And all perfohs, in ordef
to Ihew the warmth of their ieal for the Chriftian re-
ligion, were eager in offering their advice, their for-
F f a tunes

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436 THEHlSTORt Bbok Vt.

tunes and perfons, to forward this entcrprize. But
thcfe apprcbenfions and this rage of Crufading were
in fome meafure abated when news arrived, that the
Grand Signior, having laid fiege to Belgrade (a fort-
rcfs in Hungary fituatcd upon the Danube) was not
only routed, but wounded himielf. So that the Pope
and other Chriftian States, having now recovered
themfelves a little from the panic which the lofs of
Conftantinople had ftruck into them, proceeded after-
wards with lefs vigour in their preparations for the
profecution of that War, which fcemed to be much
damped in Hungary likewife by the death of their
Waivode who had obtained that fignal Viftory *.

But to return to the affairs of Italy. The diftur-
bances which had been raifed by Giacopo Piccinina
being compofed and arms laid down on every fide, it
pleafed GomJ to vifit Tufcany with a ftorm of wind
that wrought fuch effefts as had never been heard of

• This was the famous John Corviaus, or Huniades, Waflwodc of
Tranfylvania, General of the Hungarian armies, under King La-
diflaus, and one of the grcateft commanders of his time. He was
almoft continually engaged in wars with the Turks, whom he beat
in two battles, oqe in the year 1442, the other in the year following,
and forced them to retire from before Belgrade after a fiege of feven
months. He was at the battle of Verna, £0 fatal to Chriftendom s
where Ladiflaus was killed in 1444. Afterwards he was made Go-
vernor of Hungary, and his name became fo formidable to the Turks,
that they looked upon him as a fcourge fent to chaftife their nation,
and called him Jancus Lain^ that is, John the Wicked. He was beat
by tkem, however, in a battle that was fought on the 17th, i8thr
and 19th days of 06^ober, 1448. But he prevented them a fecond
time from taking Belgrade, in 1458", when it was befieged by Ma-
hornet II. with an army of two hundred and fifty thoufand men j
forty thoufand of whom were killed, and the reft abandoned the
fiege in a precipate manner, leaving all their baggage, artillery, and
ammvmition, behind them. He died the fame year at Zemplin, and
Mahomet, who ^d he was the greateO: foldier in the world, is re-
ported to have lamented his death, and thought himfelf unfortunate,
becauiè there was no other warrior of equal eminence left, by de-
feating whom, he might retrieve the glory he had loft. Pope Ga-
lixtus wept, and all Chriftendom was in affliction when he died.
Thurofius. in Chron. Hungar. The word Vaivode or Woiewoda^
fignifies a Prince, Duke, Governor, or chief Magiftrate, and in the
northern parts is generally a feudal dignity. There is in SeldenV
I'UUs of Honour^ an inveftiture, folemn livery, or infeodation of MoU
davia to Stephen-»as Vaivode thereof in the year X485,

before

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Book VI. OF FLORENCE. 437

before that time, and will feem marvellous to pofte-
rity -f-. About an hour before Sun-rife on the twenty-
fourth of Auguft, a dark thick Cloud which feemed
to extend itfeJf about two miles every way, arofe out
of the Gulf of Venice near Ancona; and traverfing
the Continent of Italy from eaft to weft, bent its
courfe towards the Sea coaft of Pifa. This cloud
being driven forwards (whether by a natural or fu-
pernatural impulfe I will not take upon me to deter-
mine) was broken at laft into feveral parts, which
fometimes were hurried up to a vaft height in the air,
fometimes precipitated themfelves towards the earth,
dafliing violently againft each other, and whirling
round in a fpiral manner with aftonifhing rapidity.
Thefe cpncuffions, attended with a furious Hurricane
of wind, inceflant flaflies of red lightening, and fuch
dreadful burjOts as far exceeded the loudeft thunder
or the . moft difmal craflies of an earthquake, made
every man's heart fail within him ; as they thought
the world was certainly at an end and the elements re-
folving into their original Chaos.

No lefs amazing were the effcfts of this tempeft
where ever it paffed -, but moft remarkable in the
jieighbourhood of St. Caffiano, a Caftle about eight
miles from Florence, upon the mountains which di-
vide the Vale of Pifa from that of Grieve. For
pafling betwixt that Caftle and the Bourg of St. An-
drew, which ftands upon the fame hills, it never

f Tht new vroM was «lOt difcovered at that time : if it had. Sai-
lors would have called this ftorm (terrible as it was) but a cap-full of
ivind, in comparifon of thofe dreadfal hurricanes which frequently
Jiappen in the Weft Indies. The Editor of this work had the mis-
fortune to 1>e an eye-witnefs of one of them in Jamaica, in 06lober
1744. There were 9t that time ninety- five merchaut veiTels, and
eight men of war, in Port Royal Harbour 5 of which, only his Ma-
jelty^s (hip the Rippon, rode it out, all the reft being either wrecked,
or driven aftiore, and fome of them a great way up into the Coun-
-try 5 where they were left high and dry (as the fea phrafe is) when the
waters fubfided. The damage which the Ifland likewife fuftained by
that calamity, was hardly to be computed ; and the havock it made,
fo prodigious and unconvmon, tliat a particular narrative of k would
\ft credited by few,

F f 3 reached

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438 T H E H I S T O R Y BòòkVt,

reached the latter, and brufhed the former in fo flight
a manner, that it only b^ew down fome chimnies and
battlements : but in the fpace betwixt thofe two places
it laid numbers of houfes flat with the ground. The
roofs of St. Martin's Church at Bagnuola, and of
Santa Nfaria della Pace were taken off and carried
away entire above a. mile. A carrier and his mulcs^
were hurried out of the road into a neighbouring vai*
ley and there found dead. Many of the fturdicft
Oaks and other huge trees that dici not bend to the
iury of the blaft, not only had their branches ftripped
off but were torn up by the roots and carried to a
confiderable diftance. So that when the ftorm ceafcd
and day light began to appear, the inhabitants of the
Country ftood in amazement as if they had been thurr-
derftruck or ftupified. The fields were dcfolated,
the Churches and houfes entirely demolifhed, and
nothing to be heard but the cries and lamentations of
thofe that had loft their whole fubftance, and had not
Only their Cattle, but their families alfo buried rh tho
ruins. A fpeftacle indeed, that muft fill the hardeft
heart with terror and compaffion ! but God in his
mercy fcemcd to intend this calamity rather as a warn-
ing, than a chaftifement to Tofcany in general : for
if fqch a ftorm had fallen upon a large and poi^vlous
City, inftead of a Country where there was not any
very confiderable number of houfes and inhabitants!,
and little elfe to fpcnd its rage upon but trees and
thickets, without doubt the havock it muft have m?de
would have been greater than can well be conceived.
The Divine Being was picafed however to reftrain
his Vengeance, and to let this fcourge fuffice for that
lime, to revive in mankind a due (tn{Q of his Al-
mighty power *.

• Thcfe refleéVions do not fccm to favour much of Atheifm, with
v.hicb Machiavel has been fo liberally charged, and often by people
that never read any of his works. He fpeaks pretty frecJy, indeed,
of the Church of-Roine, and its corruption j which being reckoned
9 Mortal Sin in one of that Communion^ feldom goes wichotst its

But

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Jf

Bbdk; VI. CT F FLORE N C E. 439

Bat to refume the thread of our narrative. King
Alphonfo, as we have faid before, was diflatisficd
•witli the peace 5 and as the war, which he Had caufed
Giacopo Piccinino to make upon the Siencfe without
arvv reiifonafele occafiotì, was atteridcd with no mate-
rial advantage, he was refoivcd to try his fortune in
that which 1^ ^as^ ailoWed to commence with the Gc-
rt^e'fe by tte artictes of the late treaty. Accordingly
inthié ycat' 1456, he invacled them both by fea and
land, with a defien to take the government of their
State' oi>t of tte liands of jhe Fregofi, who were then
i*i pdffeffion of it, and to reftofre it to the Adorni.
On the other hand, he feiif Giàcopo Piccinino over
the- Troncò, with sr body of forees to fait upon Gif-
mondo Maiatefta ; who having put all his towns in ai
^od pòfture of defence, made fo vigorous a refift-'
^(iei that! his Majcfty's arms met with no fuccefs in
that enterprize: and his attempt upon Genoa after-
wards involved both him and his Kingdom in fuch
troubles a^ he little expeded. Pietro Fregofo was at
that time Doge of Genoa, and being afraid he fhould
tiot be able to cope with the King, refolved to give
up- what he found he could no longer hold himfelf, to
fome other Prince that was able to defend him from
his enemies, and perhaps might one time or other
make him a proper recompertce for ir. For this pur-
pofe, he difpatched Ambafladors to Charles VIL
King of France, with an offer of the State of Genoa-:
which Charles readily accepted of, and fent King
Regnici^s Son John of Anjou (who had left Florence
not long before and was gone back to France) to take

punifliment in this worìd. The Jesuits, and other religious Orders,
according as they are touched, never fail amongft the reft of their
. wiles, to brand fuch a one with a name that 'will be fure to ftick clofe
to him. A fearful outcry is raifed of Athcift, Infidel, Heretic, mad
dog, &c.

" Cape faxa raanu, cape robora, Paftor,"

And then, blefled is the Zealot that takes up a ftick or a ftone, and
knocks out his brains. It is well other Churches have more chanty
and moderation.

F f 4 pof-

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440 THE HISTORY Book VI,

pofleflìon of that City : as he thought nobody more
proper to govern it, than a pcrfon who was fo well
acquainted with the cuitoms and genius of the Ita*!'
lians, and might at the fame time have an opportu-
nity of profecuting his claim tq the Kingdom of Na-
ples, of which his father Regnier had bncen deprivecj
by King Alphonfo. John of Anjou therefore imme-
diately repaired to Genoa, where he was received like
a Prince, and invefted with the whol^ power bo?h of
the City and the State.

Alphonfo was not a little galled at this circum-
ftance, perceiving he had drawn an enemy upon his
back that was much too powerful for him : however
he boldly purfued his undertaking, and had already
brought his fleet to Porto- fino, near Villa Marina,
when he fuddenly fell fick and died *. By his death
John of Anjou and the Genoefe were freed from the
apprehenfions of war : and Ferrando f , who fuc-i
cecdcd his father Alphonfo in the Kingdom of Na-
ples, feeing he had ngw.fo potent a rival in Italy, be-?
gan to grow very doubful of the fidelity of his Nobir
lity : many of whom being fond of change, he thought
would fide with the French. He was likewife afraid
of thp Pope, whofe ambition he was. no ftranger to,
and ibfiagined it would naturally prompt him to make
fome attempt to wreft his Kingdom from him, before
he was thoroughly fettled in his throne. His only
hopes were io the Puke of Milan, v^ho was no Icìs

• Th^s Prince, furnamed the Wife and Magnanimous, was a very
great patron, and encourager of literature and learned men. A-
mongft many other inftances of his particular regard to them and
their memory, it is faid, that at the fiege of Gaieta, when he was
told, there were none of the large fton^s left, with which they ufed
to load the mortars, nor any to be found, except at a Country Scat,
V^hich, according to an old tradition, had belonged to Cicero, he
anfwered, •* that he chofc rather to have his artillery Ufelefs, than to
ifpoil what had been the property of fo grieat a man.*' He u fed al-
)ways to carry Csefar's Commentaries with hin> in hi^ voyages and
Journies, and never pafied a day without reading fome part of them,
^ith great attention. . His device was an open Book, Anton. Pi^-
normit. dediti. & fa6l. Alphonfi, 1. ii. Num. ii,

± Or Ferdinand I, natural fon of Alphonfo.

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Book VI. O f* F L O R E N C E. 441

anxious than himfelf for the prcfervation of that
Kingdom ; apprehending that if the French ftiould
make themfelves mailers of it, their next attempt
would be upon his dominions, which he knew they
looked upon as of right belonging to them *. The
Puke therefore, immediately after the death of King
Alphonfo, not only fcnt fuccours to Ferdinand to af^
fift and give him reputation at that time, but wrote a
letter to him in which he exhorted him to take cour-
age, and promifed that he would never abandon him
in any circumftances.

After Alphonfo was dead, the Pope dcfigned to
have given the Kingdorrt of Naples to his own Ne-
phew Pietro LiUdovico Borgia : and to fet (o good a
face upon the matter as might induce the reft of the
Italian Princes to acquiefce in it, he gave out that it
was only his intention to reduce the Kingdom to its
former obedience to the Church ; in which cafe, he
ihould fecure fuch territories to the Duke of Milan
^s were at that time in his poffefllon, or had ever be-
longed to him there ; and therefore hoped he would
not fend any fuccours to the afliftance of Ferdinand.
But in the midft of thefe new projefts and prepa-
rations his Hplinefs died, and was fucceeded in the
Papacy by ^neas Piccolomini, a Sienefe by birth,
who took the name of Pius II. f This Pontif, whofe

• The Duke of Orleans having married a Princefs of the Houfe of
Vifconti, who became entitled to the Duchy of Milan, upon the
failure of a male heir.

f This was the famous -ffincas Sylvius, who, at the age of twenty-
fix, attended Dorainico Capranico, Cardinal of Fefmo, as his Secre-
tary to the Coqncil of Bafii. He afterwards ferved feveral other Pre*
iates in the fame capacity, particularly Cardinal Albergoti, who fent
him into Scotland, to mediate a peace betwixt the Englifti and the
Scots. After his return, the fame council honoured him with the
Charges of Referendary, Abbreviator, Chancellor, General Agent,
^nd lent him feveral Times to Stralbourg, Frankfort, Conftance, Sa-
voy, araongft the Grifons, and conferred upon him the Provoftfhip
pf the Collegiate Church of St. Lorenzo in Milan. At that time he
compofed thqfe pieces m favour of the Council of Bafil, againft Eu-
genius IV. in particular, and the Papal ufurpations and preteniion»
fn general ; for which he afterwards made an apology to that Pontif,

?hief

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4J{t T HE HISTORY Book VI.

chJcf ftudy was to promote thd conrtmoti good of
GhTiftendonrr, arid ifj^inftahi the refpeét due to tfie

attd alkéd Mis pardon> who not ottly forgave him, but riià<fe him hi«r
fecretary. AHer he was exalted- td the Pontificate, he like wife re-
traétéd them in a Bull, dated April a6, 1463,- which is prefixed to
tìe Gdle€tion of his Works, and may be feeri in father LabbèVCol-
le^on- of Goimeils, torn, 3pii. p. 1407. It may not be un^ntertaiif*
ingt perhaps» to fee in what manner he apologyces for his former
eòrtdiìól, and how much hìà fenfitófenfs wferé altered with his cir-
comftanoft. He= eXcufés hinifelf for havirtg Written thofe pieced Wh'erf
he was yonng, and incapable of forming a right judgment of things*
He owns, that he had been guilty of an error, and defft-es the Uni-
verfity of Cologne, to which he addreffe^ his B<i!l, not to regard
what'he had faid in favour of the Coundl of Bafil, but to coridemn
^neas Sylvius, and to follow the fentiments of Pius II. " We are
inen-, fey 8 he, and have erred as men. V^e do not deiiy that many
tfoin^, which we have faid,. or written, mayjuftlybe condemned.
We nave been feduced like Paul, and perfecuted the Church of God
through ignorance. We now follow St. Aufl:in*s exampre, who hav-
ing fuflfered feveral erronfcous fentiments to efcafve him in his wridngis',
afterwards retraced them. We do jult the fame thiAg; we inge-
nuoufly confefs our ignorance, being apprehenfive left what we have
written in our youth, fhould occaficn fon^e error, which may pre-
judice the Holy see. For if it is fuitable to any perfon's cfiaraéter,
to maintain the eminence and glory of the firft throne of the Church,
it is certainly fo to us, whom the merciful God, of his infinite
gòodnefs only, hath raifed to the dignity of Vice-gertnt of Chri^,
without any merit on our part. Upon all thefe confiderations, we
exhort and advife you in the Lord, not to pay any regard to thofe
ifrritings, v^hkh in any wife injure the authority of the Apoftolic See,
<M* affiMt of^nions that the Holy Romiili Church does not receive.
If you find anything contrary to this in our Dialogues,^ • or Letters,
<ir in any otbei* -of our works, defpife fuch notions, reject them, fol-
low what we now maintain ; believe what we affcrt now we are in
years, rather than -what I faid when I was young; regard a Pope
rather than a private man ; in (hort, rejeft Àneas Sylvius, and re-
ceive Pius n. Nee pypvamm hominem plurisfacite quam fummum Fonti-
Jictm ; Mneam rejicite, Pmm actifite^ That hcathenifh name was
given me by my parents at my birth ; but this Chriftian name we
afiumed, when we were raifed to the ApottoHcal Character: Illud gen-
tile nomen pat^ntes indidere nafcenti ; hoc ChriJHanum in Apoftolatu fitf-
cepimus. And fince it might be objeóled, that his Dignity was the
only reafon of his changing his opinion, he anfwers that, by giving
a fliort account of his life and aciioris, and of the Council of Bafif,
to which he went in the year 1431, when he was very young, with-
out experience, and, as he fays, " like a bird juft out of its neft.'*

After he had filled many other great preferments, and difcharged
ftveral embaflTies and negotiations, with much applauic and repu-
tation, he was made a Cardinal by Calixtus III. whom he fucceeded
in the Papal Chair, in the .year 1438, and reigned fic years withih
three days. Platina fays, he was not only the bcft, but otie of the
ttioft learned Pontifs that» had worn the Tiara for many ages bef&re

Church
6

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Book VI. O F F L O R E N C E. 443

Church, laying afide all private interefts antJpaffions,
crowned Ferdinand King of Naples at the fonrcitation
of the Duke of Milan ; thinking, it would be more
cafy to compofe all differences rn Italy by confirming
one that was already in pofielfion, than cither by fa-
vouring tht French in their pretenfions to that King-
dom, or attempting to feize upon it himfelf, a^ hisr
predeceffor had defigned. Ferdinand, in return for
fo great a favour, not only gave his naturai daughter
m marriage to the Pope's Nephew Antorriò, with the
J)rincipality of Melfi for her dower, but likewife rc-
ftored Benevento and Terracina to the Church, Af-
ter which, the tranquillity of Italy {ccmcd to be per-
feélly fettled, and the Pope was ufing his utmoft
endeavours, as Calixtus the hft Pontif had done be-
fore him, tc^ unite all Chriftian Princes in a league
ffgainft the Turk; wheil fome animofitres, which
broke out betwixt the Fregofi and John of Anjoir,
the new Governor of Genoa, gave birth to frelh wars,
and fuch aà were of much more irnrportance than any
that had yet happened.

him. HÌ3 works are very numerous. A Catalogue of tlrem may bfe
feen in Mr. Henry Wharton's Appendix to Dr. Cave's Hiftoria Li*
terarie, and jn the General Diólìonary, vol. i. p. 295. Aniong them,
there is a remarkable letter (which is the fifteenth in the firft book
of his Epiftles, and tranflated in the General Di6ì:ionary, vol. i. p.
290) wherein he gives his own father an account of an amour that
he had with an £ngli(h Lady, when he was Ambailkdour at Stras-
bourg, and of the fruits of it. Upon which, Mr. Wharton obferves,
in the work above cited, ** that he is fo far from lamenting his crime,
that he even boafts of it there." Indeed it is written with an air of
much gaiety.— He likewife wrote another very extraordinary letter
to Mahomet II. which, as Mr. Bayle fays, has cut out fufficient
work for dealers in controverfy, and occaiioned a very warm dif-
pute betwixt the famous du Pleffis Mornai and CoefFeteau, the par-
ticulars of which may be found under the article Mahomet II. Gen.
Dift. vol. vii. p. 352. Where the reader will fee upon what pious
motives this great and good Pontif perAiaded the Sultan to turn Chrif-
tian.— Olearius fays, that he regretted three things at his death:
jft, that he had written. The Hiftory of two Lovers, Euryalus and
Lucretia: a. That he had canonized Catharine of Siena, who had
been miftrefs to one of his Predeceflbrs. 3. That he had excited the
Chriftian Princes to a war with the Turk. Bibliothec. Scriptor. Eo
clef. tom. ii. p. 28. The two firft articles feem probable j the lalt
does not, and is direftly contrary to what is faid of hrjn by all other
writers, who affirjn, that he had that expedition very much at heart
to the laft breath of his life.

Pietre

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444 T H E H I S T O R Y Book VI.

Pietro Fregofo was then at a Caftlc belonging to
him upon the Sea Coaft, whither he had retired in
great difguft, that he and his family had not been
rewarded according to their merits by John of An-
jou •, as they had been the principal inftruments in
making him Lord of Genoa* So that at laft they
came to an open quarrel i at which, Ferdinand was
not a little pleaicd, and imagining that nothing could
more cfFedually conduce to his eftablifhment in the
Kingdom of Naples, he fent him fupplics both of
men and money, in hopes that he (hould be able by
fuch means to drive his competitor entirely out of
thefe parts. But John having intelligence of this,
immediately fent into France for fuccours to make
head againft his adverfary, who was grown fo for-
midable by the reinforcements he had received, that
John did not think proper to face him it that time,
but kept clofc within the walls of the City in order
to fecure that ; which yet he could not do effeftually.
For Pietro having found means to enter it privately
one night, feized upon fome of the ftrong pofts : but
at the return of day light, being engaged by John's
forces, he was killed himfelf, and all his men either
taken prifoners or flain upon the fpot.

Elated with this advantage, John now determined
to make a defccnt upon the Kingdom of Naples:
for which purpofe he left Genoa in Ottober 1459 with
a powerful fleet, and fteering his courfe direftly thi-
ther he came to an anchor at Baia, * and from thence
proceeded to Seffa, where he was received by the

• This City was famous for its hot baths and elegant buildings in
the time of the ancient Romans ; and here they itili (hew the ruins
of certain edifices, which they call the palaces of Cafar, Porapey,
Cicero, and other great men, who ufed to refort thither. Horace
It ells us, it was the mod delightful place upon eaith.

** Nullus in orbe locus, Baiis prxlucet amoenis."*

The little plot of ground, called the Elyfian Fields, fo much cele»
brated by the Poets, lies about a mile from ^this place, but has not
much to recommend or make it admired at preient. It is parted
from Puteoli by an arm of the Sea about two or three miles broad,
over which the Emperor Caligula built a bridge. Suet. Tacit.

Duke

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Book VI. O F F L O R E N C E. 445

Duke of that place ; and foon after bis arrival, the
Prince of Taranto, the people of Aquila, and many
other Princes and Cities declared for him : fo that
the whole Kingdom was in a manner loft. Ferdi-
nand feeing this, had recourfe to the Pope and the
Duke of Milan for afliftance, and that he might
have the fewer enemies to deal with, he came to an
accommodation with Gifmodo Malatefta 5 at which,
Giacopo Piccinino (who was an avowed enemy to
Malatefta) took fuch offence that he prefently quitted
the fervice of Ferdinand,, and went over to the French,
He likewife endeavoured to engage Frederic Lord of
Urbino in his interefts, by a confiderable fubfidy ;
and having affembled a pretty good army (for thofe
times) with as much expedition as pofTible ; he ad-
vanced to meet the enemy : but coming to an en-
gagement on the banks of the Sarni, he was totally
routed, and moft of his principal officers taken pri-
foncrs.

After this defeat, all the reft of the towns re-
volted to John of Anjou, except Naples itfelf and
fome few other places, which ftill adhered to Ferdi-
nand. Piccinino advifed John to purfue his viftory
and march diredly to Naples ; for when that was re-
duced, he faid, the whole Kingdom would imme-
diately drop into his hands : but he determined, on
the contrary, to ftrip his competitor entirely of what
little he had then left in thofe parts, before he at-
tacked the Capital *, out of a perfuafion, that when
he had cut off all fupplies from the Country, he
fhould cafily make himfelf mafter of the City : not
confidering that the members follow the motions of
the heaH more naturally, than the head is direded by
thofe of the members. This refolution, however,
proved fatal to his defigns, and overfet the whole
expedition. For Ferdinand after his defeat had re-
tired into Naples, where he received great numbers
of his fubjeds who had been driven out of their pof-
feflions ; and having raifed fome money amongft the
Citizens there by gentle and perfuafive means, he

bv

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446 THE HISTORY Book VI.

by degrees formed a little army. He likewifc fol-*
licited the Pope and thfe Duke of Milan for fre(h
fuccours : each of whom fent him fpeedier and much
jmore cffcélual fupplies thaia they h^d done before y
as they both began to be iwider very great appre-
henfions that the Kingdom of Naples would be bit-
terly loft* Strengthened by thefe reinforcen^nts Fer-*
dinand marched out of Naples, a^nd having retaken
feveral of the towns which the enemy had feized
upon, began in fome raeafure to recov^er his credit
and intereft.

But whilft the war was thus carried on with various
fuccefs on both fides in the Kingdom of Naples, an
event happened which robbed John of Anjou of aH
bis glory, and made him defpair of any further fuc-
cefs in that cnterprize. The Genoefe being tho-
roughly fick of the avarice and iofolence of the
French, at laft took up arms againft their deputy-
governor, and forced him to fly for refuge into the
Citadel : and in this infurredion both the Fregoli and
Adorni concurring, were aflifted witii men and mp-
ney by the Duke of Milan in their endeavours to re-
fcover and maintain their liberties. So that King
Regnier, who fcon after came thither to the relief
of his Son with a body of forces on board ibme tranf-
ports, in hopes of preferving Genoa, as the Giudei
Itili held out for him, was routed almoft as foon as he
had landed his men, and forced to return with grcat^
difgrace into Provence.

When the news of this overthrow arrived in die
Kingdom of Naples, John was not a little (hocked
Mt it : yet he did not abandon his undertaking, but
carried on the war for fome time, chiefly by the fup*
port of fuch of the Nobility ^s had revolted from
Ferdinand apd dcfpaired of ever making their peace
with him. At laft, however, ^ter many other oc-
currences, the two armies came to a general engage-
ment near Troia in the year 1463, in which John'
was defeated. But he was not fo much hurt by
this overthrow, as by the defeftipn of Giacopo Pic-
cinino^

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Book VI. O F FLORENCE. 447

cinino, who went back again foon after into Ferdi-
nand's fervice : fo that being now in a mannerdif-
armed, he retired into * Iftria, and from thence into
France. This war continued four years, and during
the courfe of it, John of Anjou more than once loft
that by negligence and fupinenefs, which had been
honourably gained by the valour of his Soldiers.

The Florentines had not publickly taken either
fide in thefe difputes ; and when they were impor-
tuned by AmbafTadors fept from John King of Ar-
ragon (who was lately called to the government of
that Kingdom, upon the death of King Alphonfo)
to fuccour his Nephew Ferdinand, as they were
obliged to do by their late treaty with his Father
Alphonfo, they made anfwer, "that they had no
connexion with Ferdinand, and did not think them-
felves under any obligation to affift the Son in a war
which his Father had commenced, and as it was be-
gun without their advice or concurrence, he might
cither continue or end it as he liked beft, fince he
had nothing to expeft from them.** Upon which,
the AmbafTadors having charged them, in the name
of their Matter, with a breach of the treaty, and de-
clared that he would expeft to be indemnified by
them for any future loffes he might fuftain thereby,
immediately left the City with much indignation and
refcntment. But notwithftanding the Florentines had
not embroiled themfelves in thefe wars abroad, they
were far from enjoying tranquillity at home, as (hall
be related more at large in the next book.

♦ All the Italian Copies, that I have feen, fay Iftria; but it is »
miftake : for it was not Iftria that he retired to, but Ifchia, a little
Ifland in the Neapolitan Sea, fifteen miles Weft of the City of Naples^

END OF THE SIXTH BOOK.

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